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THY  AGAIN 


OR, 


THE    TRIALS    AND    TRIUMPHS 


HARRY    WEST. 


A  STORY  FOR  YOUNG  FOLKS. 


BY 


OLIVER   OPTIC, 

AUTIIOK  OF  "  THE  BOAT  CLUB,"  "  ALL  ABOARD,"  "  NOW  OR  NEVER,*' 

"  TRY  AGAIN,"  "  POOR  AND  PROUD,"  "  IN  DOORS 

AND  OUT,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


BOSTON 


LEE  AND  SIIEPARD,  PUBLISHEES. 

NEW  YORK: 
CI1A11LES   T.  DILLINGHAM. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1857,  by 

WILLIAM   T.   ADAMS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


Copyright,  18S5,  by  William  T.  Adams. 


TO    MY   NEPHEW, 

FKEDERIC  WILLIAM  CLAPP, 
Ojts  Bock 

IS  AF  FECTIOXATELY  DEDICATED. 


PREFACE. 


The  story  of  Harry  West  is  a  record  of  youthful  expe- 
rience, designed  to  illustrate  the  necessity  and  the  results  of 
perseverance  in  well  du.ng.  The  true  success  in  life  is  the 
attainment  of  a  pure  and  exalted  character;  and  he  who,  at 
threescore  and  ten,  has  won  nothing  hut  wealth  and  a  name, 
has  faiieu  to  achieve  the  nohlest  purpose  of  his  being. 
Wealth  is  success ;  a  true  life  is  a  far  nobler  success.  He 
who  has  won  both  has  been  doubly  successful ;  but  he  who 
lias  become  rich  by  neglecting  the  mind,  tne  heart,  and  the 
ooul,  has  sacrificed  the  greater  ?ood  to  the  less. 

The  true  life  is  worth  aii  the  labor  and  self-denial  it  may 
lost.  This  io  the  moral  of  the  story  contained  in  this  volume. 
Ham"  West's  trials  are  moral  trials;  his  triumphs,  moral 
tnampns.  Whatever  vicissitudes  of  fortune  may  attend  him, 
however  exciting  the  incidents  of  his  career,  the  real  struggle 
is  in  the  soul,  the  real  victory  is  the  conquest  of  himself. 

He  is  a  pauper  boy,  having  had  none  of  the  advantages 
1*  io) 


6  PREFACE. 

of  parental  instruction.  If  not  vicious  at  the  outset,  bit 
character  is  of  that  kind  which  as  readily  lays  hold  on  vice  as 
virtue ;  it  has  never  been  hardened  by  the  hallowed  influences 
of  a  good  home. 

Perhaps  my  older  readers  may  regard  his  awakening  from 
moral  lethargy  to  moral  life  and  activity  as  slightly  romantic. 
I  wished  to  exhibit  the  influence  of  the  pure  heart  upon  those 
with  whom  it  comes  in  contact  —  to  show  what  power  evtn 
a  child  may  possess  to  do  a  great  and  good  work.  There 
are  many  Little  Angels  in  the  world ;  we  have  seen  and  known 
them.  If  I  have  been  extravagant,  Julia  Bryant's  example 
can  do  no  harm. 

With  many  thanks  to  them  for  the  unexpected  favor  be- 
stowed on  "  Bobby  Bright,"  the  author  presents  Harry  West 
to  his  young  friends,  trusting  that  he  will  prove  an  acceptable 
companion,  and  that,  like  him,  when  they  fail  in  any  good 
work,  they  will  "  TRY  AGAIN." 


WILLIAM   T.  ADAMS. 


Doechester.  March  26    1867 


CONTENTS. 


PAOl 

Chap.  I.  —  In  which  Harry  West  and  Squire  Walker 

disagree  in  an  important  Point.       .         .         .         .11 

Chap.  II.  —  In  which  Harry  finds  a  Friend,  and  a  prac- 
ticable Scheme  for  Resistance.  .         .         .         .24 

Chap.  III.  —  In  which  Harry  leaves  the  Poorhouse,  and 

takes  to  the  River.  ......     37 

Chap.  IV.  —  In  which  it  is  shown  that  the  Navigation 

of  the  River  is  difficult  and  dangerous.  .         .         .     5<L 

Chap.  V.  —  In  which  Harry  fights  a  hard  Battle,  and 

is  defeated.      ........     63 

Chap.  VI.  —  In  which  Harry  concludes  that  a  Defeat 

is  sometimes  better  than  a  Victory.  .         .         .77 

Chap.  VII.  —  In  which  Harry  finds  himsalf  in  a  "  tight 

Place,"  and  executes  a  counter  Movement.      .         .     91 

Chap.  VIII.  —  In  which  Harry  kills  a  big  Snake,  and 

makes  a  new  Friend.        .         .         .         .         .         .104 

Chap.  IX.  —  In  which  Harry  breakfasts  on  Doughnuts, 

and  finis  that  Angels  do  not  always  have  Wings.      117 

(7) 


8  CONTENTS. 

Chap.  X.  —  In  which  Harry  fares  sumptuously,  and 

takes  Leave  of  the  Little  Angel.  .         .        .        .     K'J 

Chap.  XI.  —  In  which  Harry  reaches  the  City,  and, 

though  often  disappointed,  tries  again.  .         .     143 

Chap.  XII.  —  In  which  Harry  suddenly  gets  rich,  and 

has  a  Conversation  with  another  Harry,         .         .155 

Chap.  XIII.  —  In  which  Harry  becomes  a  Stable  Boy, 

and  hears  bad  News  from  Rockville.     .         .         .     168 

Chap.  XIV.  —  In  which  Harry  does  a  good  Deed,  ani 

determines  to  "  face  the  Music."  .  .     181 

Chaf.  XV.  —  In  which  Harry  makes  the  Acquaintance 

of  a  very  important  Pernor  age.      ....     194 

Chap.  XVI.  —  In    widen   Harry   goes   into   the  Dry 

Goods  Business     .  .  207 

Chap.  XVII.  —  In  winch  Harry  revisits  Roekvuie,  and 

meets  with  a  serious  loss.  ...  .219 

« 

Chap.  XVIII.  —  In  which  Harry  meets  with  an  old 

Acquaintance,  and  gets  a  hard  Knock  on  the  Head.     232 

Chap.  XIX.  —  In  which  Harry  finds  that  even  a  bro- 
ken Head  may  be  of  some  Use  to  a  Person.  .         .     244 

Chap.  XX.  —  In  which  Harry  passes  through  his  se- 

verpst  Trial,  and  achieves  his  greatest  Triumph.    .     258 

Chap.  XXI.  —  In  which  Harry  is  very  pleasantly  situ- 
ated, and  the  Story  comes  to  an  End.    .         .        .     274 


TRY    AGAIN. 


TRY    AGAIN; 

OR, 

T II  E  TRIALS  AND  TRIUMPHS  01 
HARRY   WEST. 


CHAPTER    I. 

IN     WHICH     nARRT     WEST     AND     SQUIRE    WALKEX 
DISAGREE    ON    AN     IMPORTANT    POINT. 

"Boy,  come  here  !  " 

Squire  Walker  was  a  very  pompous  mar. ;  one  of 
the  most  notable  persons  in  the  little  town  of  Red- 
field,  which,  the  inquiring  young  reader  will  need  tc 
be  informed,  as  it  is  not  laid  down  on  any  map  of 
Massachusetts  that  I  am  acquainted  with,  is  situated 
thiity-one  miles  south-west  of  Boston. 

I  am  not  aware  that  Redfield  was  noted  for  any 
thing   in   particular    unless   it  was   noted   for  SoV  a 

(ID 


12  TBV    AGAIN;    OB,   THE   TBI4 

Walker,  as  Mount  Vernon  was  noted  for  Washing- 
ton, and  Monticello  for  Jefferson.  No  doubt  the 
squire  thought  he  was  as  great  a  man  as  either  of 
these,  and  that  the  world  was  strangely  stupid,  be- 
cause it  did  not  find  out  how  great  a  man  he  really 
was.  It  was  his  misfortune  that  he  was  not  born  in 
the  midst  of  stirring  times,  when  great  energy,  great 
genius,  and  the  most  determined  patriotism  are 
understood  and  appreciated. 

Squire  Walker,  then,  was  a  great  man  —  in  his 
own  estimation.  It  is  true,  the  rest  of  the  world, 
including  many  of  the  people  of  Redfield,  had  not 
found  it  out ;  but,  as  the  matter  concerned  himself 
more  nearly  than  any  one  else,  he  seemed  to  be 
resigned  to  the  circumstances  of  his  lot.  He  had 
represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  of  the  state, 
was  a  member  of  the  school  committee,  one  of  the 
selectmen,  and  an  overseer  of  the  poor.  Some  men 
would  have  considered  all  these  offices  as  glory  enough 
for  a  lifetime;  and  I  dare  say  the  squire  would  have 
been  satisfied,  if  he  had  not  been  ambitious  to  be- 
come one  of  the  county  commissioners. 

The  squire  had  a  very  high  and  proper  regard  foi 


AND    TBU'MPHS    OF    HARRY    WfST.  13 

his  own  dignity.  It  was  not  only  his  duty  to  be  a 
great  man,  but  to  impress  other  people,  especially 
paupers  and  children,  with  a  just  sense  of  his  im- 
portance. Consequently,  when  he  visited  the  poor- 
house,  he  always  spoke  in  the  imperative  mood.  l\ 
was  not  becoming  a  man  of  his  magnificent  preten- 
sions to  speak  gently  and  kindly  to  the  unfortunate, 
the  friendless,  and  the  forsaken  ;  and  the  men  and 
women  hated  him,  and  the  children  feared  him,  aa 
much  as  they  would  have  feared  a  roaring  lion. 

"  Boy,  come  here  ! "  said  Squire  Walker,  as  he 
raised  his  arm  majestically  towards  a  youth  who  was 
picking  up  "  windfalls  "  under  the  apple  trees  in  front 
of  the  poorhouse. 

The  boy  was  dressed  in  a  suit  of  bine  cotton 
clothes,  extensively,  but  not  very  skilfully,  patched. 
At  least  two  thirds  of  the  brim  of  his  old  straw  ha 
was  gone,  leaving  nothing  but  a  snarly  fringe  oi 
Btraws  to  protect  his  face  from  the  heat  of  the  sun. 
But  this  was  the  least  of  the  boy's  trials.  Sun  or 
rain,  heat  or  cold,  were  all  the  same  to  him,  if  he 
1  lly  got  enough  to  eat,  and  time  enough  to  sleep. 

He  straightened  his  back  when  Squire  Walk^J 
2 


!4  try   again;    or,  the  TRIAI-4 

*poke  to  him,  and  stood  gazing  with  evident  aston- 
ishment that  the  distinguished  gentleman  should 
condescend  to  speak   to  him. 

"  Come  here,  you  sir  !  Do  you  hear  r  "  continued 
Squire  Walker,  upon  whom  the  boy's  look  of  wonder 
and  perturbation  was  not  wholly  lost. 

"  This  way,  Harry,"  added  Mr.  Nason,  the  keeper 
of  the  poorhouse,  who  was  doing  the  honors  of  the 
occasion  to  the  representative  of  the  people  of 
Redfield. 

Harry  West  was  evidently  a  modest  youth,  and 
appeared  to  be  averse  to  pushing  himself  irreverently 
into  the  presence  of  a  man  whom  his  vivid  imagina- 
tion classed  with  Alexander  the  Great  and  Julius 
Caesar,  whose  great  deeds  he  had  read  about  in  the 
spelling  book. 

Harry  slowly  sidled  along  till  he  came  within 
about  a  rod  of  the  great  man,  where  he  paused, 
apparently  too  much  overawed  to  proceed  any  farther. 

"  Come  here,  I  say,"  repeated  Squire  Walker. 
"  Why  don't  you  take  your  hat  off,  and  make  youi 
manners  ?  " 

Harry  took  his  hat  off,  and  made  his  manners,  ao< 


AND    TRIUMTHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  15 

vrry  gracefully,  it  is  tiue  ;  but  considering  the  boy'i 
perturbation,  the  squire  was  graciously  pleased  to 
let  his  "  manners"  pass  muster. 

"  How  old  are  you,  boy  ?  "  asked  the  overseer. 

"  Most  twelve,"  replied  Harry,  with  deference. 

**  High  time  you  were  put  to  work." 

"  I  do  work,"  answered  Harry. 

"  Not  much  ;  you  look  as  fat  and  lazy  as  one  of 
my  fat  hogs." 

Mr.  Nason  ventured  to  suggest  that  Harry  was  a 
smart,  active  boy,  willing  to  work,  and  that  he  more 
than  paid  his  keeping  by  the  labor  he  performed  in 
the  field,  and  the  chores  he  did  about  the  house  —  an 
interference  which  the  squire  silently  rebuked,  by 
turning  up  his  nose  at  the  keeper. 

"  I  do  all  they  want  me  to  do,"  added  the  boy, 
whose  tongue  seemed  to  grow  wonderfully  glib  under 
;he  gratuitous  censure  of  the  notable  gentleman. 

"  Don't  bo  saucy,  Master  "West." 

"  Bless  you,  squire  !  Harry  never  spoke  a  saucy 
word  in  his  life,"  interposed  the  friendly  keeper. 

"  He  should  know  his  place,  and  learr  how  to 
treat  bis  superiors.     You  give  these  boys  too  much 


18  THY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

meat,  Mr.  Nason.  They  can't  bear  it.  Mush  and 
molasses  is  the  best  thing  in  the  world  for  them." 

If  any  one  had  looked  closely  at  Harry  while  the 
functionary  was  delivering  himself  of  this  speech,  he 
might  have  seen  his  eye  snap  and  his  chest  heave 
with  indignation.  He  had  evidently  conquered  hia 
timidity,  and,  maugre  his  youth,  was  disposed  to 
stand  forth  and  say,  "  I  too  am  a  man."  His  head 
was  erect,  and  he  gazed  unflinchingly  into  the  eye 
jf  the  squire. 

"  Boy,"  said,  the  great  man,  who  did  not  like  to 
have  a  pauper  boy  look  him  in  the  eye  without  trem- 
bling —  "  boy,  I  have  got  a  place  for  you,  and  the 
sooner  you  are  sent  to  it,  the  better  it  will  be  for  you 
and  for  the  town." 

"  Where  is  it.  sir  ?  " 

"  Where  is  it  ?  What  is  that  to  you,  you  young 
puppy  r  "  growled  the  squire,  shocked  at  the  boy's 
presumption  in  daring  to  question  him. 

"  If  1  am  going  to  a  place,  1  would  like  to  know 
where  it  is,"  replied  Harry. 

"  You  will  go  where  you  are  sent  !  "  roared  the 
■quire. 


1ND    TRITTMFHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  1  i 

"  T  suppose  I  must ;  but  I  should  like  to  know 
where." 

"  Well,  then,  you  shall  know,"  added  the  over- 
seer maliciously  ;  for  he  had  good  reason  to  know 
that  the  intelligence  would  give  the  boy  the  greatest 
pain  he  could  possibly  inflict.  "  You  are  going  to 
Jacob  Wire's." 

"  Where,  sir  ?  "  asked  the  keeper,  looking  at  the 
■quire  with  astonishment  and  indignation. 

"  To  Jacob  Wire's,"  repeated  the  overseer. 

"  Jacob  Wire's  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Nason. 

"  I  said  so." 

"  Do  you  think  that  will  be  a  good  place  for  the 
boy  ?  "  asked  the  keeper,  trying  to  smile  to  cover  the 
indignation  that  was  boiling  in  his  bosom. 

"  Certainly  I  do." 

"  Excuse  me,  Squire  Walker,  but  I  don't." 

The  overseer  stood  aghast.  Such  a  reply  was  little 
better  than  rebellion  in  one  of  the  town's  servants, 
and  his  blood  boiled  at  such  unheard-of  plainness  of 
speech  to  him,  late  representative  to  the  general 
court,  member  of  the  school  committee,  one  of  the 
selectmen,  and  an  overseer  of  the  poor. 
2* 


t8  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIaLS 

Besides,  there  was  another  reason  why  the  ternon 
ty  of  the  keeper  was  peculiarly  aggravated.  Jaoot 
Wire  was  the  squire's  brother-in-law  ;  and  though 
the  squire  despised  him  quite  as  much  and  as  hearti- 
ly as  the  rest  of  the  people  of  Rcdficld.  it  was  not 
fitting  that  any  of  his  connections  should  be  assailed 
by  another.  It  was  not  so  much  the  fact,  as  the 
source  from  which  it  came,  that  was  objectionable. 

"  How  dare  you  speak  to  me  in  that  manner,  Mr. 
Nason?"  exclaimed  the  squire.  "Do  you  know 
who  I  am  r  " 

Mr.  Nason  did  know  who  he  was,  but  at  that 
moment,  and  under  those  circumstances,  he  so  fai 
forgot  himself  as  to  inform  the  important  functionary 
that  he  didn't  care  who  he  was  ;  Jacob  Wire's  was 
not  a  fit  place  for  a  heathen,  much  less  a  Christian. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  sir  ?  "  gasped  the  overseer. 
in  his  rage. 

"  I  mean  just  what  I  say,  Squire  Walker.  JacoVj 
Wire  is  the  meanest  man  in  the  county.  He  half 
starves  his  wife  and  children  ;  and  no  hired  man  evei 
staid  there  more  than  a  week  —  he  always  starved 
shem  out  in  that  time." 


AND    IKIDMPHS    Oy    HA.BRV    WEST.  It 

'*  If  you  please,  sir,  I  would  rather  not  go  to  Mr 
Wire's,"  put  in  Harry,  to  whom  the  county  jai] 
seemed  a  more  preferable  place. 

"  There,  shut  up  !  I  say  you  shall  go  there  !  " 
replied  the  squire. 

"  Really,  squire,  this  is  too  bad.  You  know  "Wire 
as  well  as  any  man  in  town,  and " 

"  Not  another  word,  Mr.  Xason  !     Have  the  boy 
ready  to  go  to  Jacob  Wire's  to-morrow  !  "   and  the 
overseer,  not  very  well  satisfied  with  the  interview 
hastened    away  to   avoid   further    argument    upon 
delicate   topic. 

Harry  stood  watching  the  retreating  form  of  the 
great  man  of  Redfield.  The  mandate  he  had  spoken 
was  the  knell  of  hope  to  him.  It  made  the  future 
black  and  desolate.  As  he  gazed  the  tears  flooded 
his  eyes,  and  his  feelings  completely  overcame  him. 

"  Don't  cry,  Harry,"  said  the  kind-hearted  keeper, 
taking  him  by  the  hand. 

"  1  can't  help  it,"  sobbed  Harry.  "  He  will  whi^j 
Die,  and  starve  me  to  death.  Don't  let  him  put  raa 
'here." 

"I  don't  know  as  I  can  help  it,  Harry." 


30  TRY    AGAIN  J     OK,    THE    TRIADS 

**  1  am  willing  to  work,  and  work  h&rd  t(  o  ;  but 
I  don't  want  to  be  starved  to  death." 

"  I  will  do  what  I  can  for  you  ;  but  the  othei 
overseers  do  pretty  much  as  Squire  Walker  tchs 
thtm  to  do." 

"  I  cant  go  to  Jacob  Wire's,"  burst  from  Harry's 
ips,  as  he  seated  himself  on  a  rock,  and  gave  way  to 
the  violence  of  his  emotions. 

"  I  will  see  the  other  overseers  ;  don't  cry,  Harry. 
Hope  for  the  best." 

"  No  use  of  hoping  against  such  a  man  as  Jacob 
Wire.  If  he  don't  starve  me,  he  will  work  me  tc 
death.     I  would  rather  die  than  go  there." 

"Well,  well;  don't  take  on  so.  Perhaps  some- 
thing can  be  done." 

"  Something  shall  be  done,"  added  the  boy,  as  he 
rose  from  his  seat,  with  an.  air  of  determination  in 
keeping  with  the  strong  words  he  uttered. 

The  keeper's  presence  was  required  in  the  barn, 
and  he  left  Harry  .musing  and  very  unhappy  about 
his  future  prospects.  The  thought  of  becoming  a 
member  of  Jacob  Wire's  family  was  not  to  he  enter- 
tained.   The  boy  was  a  pauper,  and  had  been  trough 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAKET    WEST.  21 

ftp  at  the  expense  of  the  town  ;  but  he  seemed  to 
feel  that,  though  fortune  and  friends  had  forsaken 
him,  he  was  still  a  men.oer  of  the  great  human 
family. 

Jacob  Wire,  with  whom  it  was  proposed  to  appren- 
tice him,  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  hard  master, 
He  loved  money,  and  did  not  love  any  thing  else. 
His  heart  was  barren  of  affection,  as  his  soul  was  of 
good  principles  ;  and  though  he  did  not  literally  starve 
his  family  and  his  help,  he  fed  them  upon  the  poorest 
and  meanest  fare  that  would  support  human  life. 
The  paupers  in  the  poorhouse  lived  sumptuously, 
tompared  with  those  who  gathered  around  the  board 
of  Jacob  "Wire. 

The  keeper  knew  this  from  experience,  for  years 
ago,  before  he  had  been  appointed  to  his  present  sit- 
uation, he  had  worked  for  Wire  ;  and  age  and  pros- 
perity had  not  improved  him.  The  more  he  got,  the 
more  he  wanted  ;  the  fuller  his  barn  and  storehouse, 
the  more  stingy  he  became  to  those  who  were  de- 
Dendent  upon  him. 

Harry  West  was  a  good  boy,  and  a  great  favorite 
wi«h   the  keeper  of  the  poorhouse.     He  was  always 


12  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OK,    THE    TRIALS 

good-natured,  willing  to  work,  and  never  gnmlled 
about  his  food.  He  was  not  only  willing  to  take 
care  of  the  baby  washing  days,  but  seemed  to  de- 
rive pleasure  from  the  occupation.  For  all  these 
reasons  Mr.  Nason  liked  Harry,  and  had  a  deep 
interest  in  his  welfare  ;  something  more  than  a  mere- 
ly selfish  interest,  for  he  had  suggested  to  "the  over- 
seers the  propriety  of  binding  him  out  to  learn  some 
good  tiade. 

Harry  was  sad  and  disheartened ;  but  he  had  un- 
limited confidence  in  the  keeper,  and  felt  sure  that 
he  would  protect  him  from  such  a  calamity  as  being 
sent  to  Jacob  Wire's.  After  he  had  carried  the  wind- 
falls into  the  shed,  he  asked  Mr.  Nason  if  he  might 
;,*o  down  to  the  river  for  a  little  while.  The  permis- 
,on  given,  he  jumped  over  the  cow  yard  wall,  and 
nth  his  eyes  fixed  in  deep  thought  upon  the  ground, 
made  his  way  over  the  hill  to  Pine  Pleasant,  as  the 
beautiful  grove  by  the  river's  side  was  called. 

The  grove  extended  to  the  brink  of  the  stream, 
which  in  this  place  widened  into  a  pond.  Near  the 
sh^re  was  a  large  flat  rock,  which  was  connected 
j'ith  the  main  land  by  a  log,  for   the  convenience  of 


A.NI>    TRIUMPHS    OF    IIARTIY    WEST.  2tJ 

anglers  and  bathers.  This  was  a  favorite  spot  with 
Harry;  and  upon  the  rock  he  seated  himself,  tn  sigh 
over  the  hard  lot  which  was  in  store  for  him.  It  was 
not  a  good  way  to  contend  with  the  trials  to  which 
all  are  subjected ;  but  he  had  not  yet  learned  that 
sorrow  and  adversity  are  as  necessary  for  man  as  joy 
and  prosperity.  Besides,  it  was  a  turning  point  in 
his  life,  and  it  seemed  to  him  that  Jacob  Wire's 
&eiise  would  be  the  tomb  of  all  his  hopes. 


TRY    AGAIN  :     OR.    THE    TRIALS 


CHAPTER    II. 

IN   WHICH    HARRY    FINDS    A    FRIEND,    AND    A    PBAO 
TICABLE    SCHEME    FOR    RESISTANCE. 

My  young  readers  will  probably  desire  to  knew 
something  about  Harry's  "  antecedents  ;  "  and  while 
the  poor  fellow  is  mourning  over  the  hard  lot  which 
Squire  AValker  has  marked  out  for  him,  we  will 
briefly  review  his  previous  history. 

Unlike  the  heroes  of  modern  novels  and  romances, 
Harry  did  not  belong  to  an  ancient,  or  even  a  very 
respectable  family.  We  need  not  trace  his  genealogy 
for  any  considerable  period,  and  I  am  not  sure  that 
tne  old  records  would  throw  much  light  on  the  sub- 
ject if  we  should  attempt  to  do  so.  The  accident  of 
birth  in  our  republican  land  is  a  matter  of  very  little 
consequence  ;  therefore  we  shall  only  go  back  to 
Harry's  father,  who  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  b»t 
had  a  greater  passion  for  New  England  rum  than  foi 
chisels  and  foreplanes. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  25 

The  bane  of  New  England  was  the  banc  of  Frank 
tin  West;  for  he  was  a  kind-hearted  man,  a  good 
husband  and  a  good  father,  before  he  was  deformed 
by  the  use  of  liquor.  He  made  good  wages,  and 
supported  his  little  family  creditably  for  several  years  ; 
but  the  vile  habit  grew  upon  him  to  such  a  degree 
that  the  people  of  Redfield  lost  all  confidence  in  him. 
As  his  business  decreased,  his  besetting  vice  increased 
upon  him,  till  he  was  nothing  but  the  wieek  of  the 
man  he  had  once  been.  Poverty  had  come,  and  want 
stared  him  m  the  face. 

While  every  body  was  wondering  what  would  he- 
come  of  Franklin  West,  he  suddenly  disappeared, 
and  no  one  could  form  an  idea  of  what  had  become 
of  him.  People  thought  it  was  no  great  matter. 
He  was  only  a  nuisance  to  himself  and  his  family. 
Mrs.  West  was  shocked  by  this  sudden  and  mysteri- 
ous disappearance.  He  was  her  husband,  and  tne 
father  of  her  children,  and  it  was  not  strange  that 
Bhe  wept,  and  even  hoped  that  he  would  come  back. 
1  he  neighbors  comforted  her,  and  put  her  in  the  way 
»f  supporting  herself  and  the  children,  so  that  she 
vas  veiy  son  reconciled  to  the  event. 
3 


26  TRY    AOAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

When  "West  had  been  "one  a  motth,  his  wife  .*e- 
reived  a  letter  from  him,  intorming  her  that  lie  had 
determined  to  stop  drinking,  and  be  a  man  again, 
lie  could  not  keep  sober  in  Redfield,  among  his  old 
companions,  and  he  was  at  work  in  Providence  til] 
he  could  get  money  enough  to  pay  his  expenses  to 
Valparaiso,  in  South  America,  where  a  lucrative  place 
iwaited  him.  He  hoped  his  wife  would  manage  to 
$et  along  for  a  few  months,  when  he  should  be  able 
to  send  her  some  money. 

Mrs.  West  was  easy  again.  Her  husband  was  not 
dead,  was  no.t  drowned  in  the  river,  or  lost  in  the 
woods  ;  and  her  heart  was  cheered  by  the  prospects 
of  future  plenty,  which  the  letter  pointed  out  to  her. 

A  year  passed  by,  and  nothing  more  was  heard 
from  Franklin  West.  The  poor,  forsaken  wife  had  a 
hard  time  to  support  her  little  family.  The  most 
constant  and  severe  toil  enabled  her  to  pinch  her  way 
along  ;  but  it  was  a  bitter  trial.  She  had  no  relations 
to  help  her  ;  and  though  the  neighbors  were  as  kind 
as  neighbors  could  be,  life  was  a  bard  struggle. 

Then  the  baby  sickened  and  died.  This  bereave- 
ment seemed    to    unnerve    and  discourage  her,  and 


AND    TRITJM/l.it    OF    HAF.RT    MEST.  2} 

though  there  was  one  mouth  less  to  feed  he-  strength 
failed  her,  and  she  was  unequal  to  the  task.  Care 
and  sorrow  did  their  work  upon  her,  and  though 
people  said  she  died  cf  consumption,  Heaven  knew 
she  died  of  a  hroken  heart  and  disappointed  hopes. 

Harry  was  four  years  old  when  th.s  sad  event  left 
him  alone  in  the  world.  There  was  none  willing  to 
assume  the  burden  of  bringing  up  the  lonely  little 
pilgrim,  and  he  was  sent  to  the  poorhouse.  It  was  a 
hard  fate  for  the  tender  child  to  be  removed  from  the 
endearments  of  a  mother's  love,  and  placed  in  the 
cneerless  asylum  which  public  charity  provides  for 
the  poor  and  the  friendless. 

The  child  was  only  four  years  old ;  but  he  missed 
the  fond  kiss  and  the  loving  caresses  of  his  devoted 
mother.  They  were  kind  to  him  there,  but  it  wa3 
not  home,  and  his  heart  could  not  but  yearn  for  those 
treasures  of  affection  which  glittered  for  him  only  in 
the  heart  of  his  mother.  There  was  an  aching  void, 
and  though  he  could  not  understand  or  appreciate  hia 
iO?s,  it  was  none  the  less  painful. 

He  was  a  favorite  child,  not  only  with  the  eld 
paupers,  but  with  the   keeper  and  his   family;    and 


18  TKT   again;    OR,    THE   TRIA-« 

this  circumstance  undoubtedly  softened  the  asperitiet 
of  his  lot.  As  soon  as  he  was  old  enough,  he  was 
required  to  work  as  much  as  the  keeper  thought  his 
strength  would  hear.  He  was  very  handy  about  the 
house  and  barn,  more  so  than  boys  usually  are  ;  and 
Mr.  Nason  declared  that,  for  the  three  years  before 
it  was  proposed  to  send  him  away,  he  had  more  thau 
earned  his  board  and  clothes. 

He  had  been  at  school  four  winters,  and  the  school- 
masters were  unanimous  in  their  praise.  He  was  a 
smart  scholar,  but  a  little  disposed  to  be  roguish. 

The  moral  discipline  of  the  poorhouse  was  not  of 
the  most  salutary  character.  Mr.  Nason,  though  a 
generous  and  kind-hearted  man,  was  not  as  exempla 
ry  in  his  daily  life  as  might  have  been  desired.  Be- 
sides, one  or  two  of  the  old  paupers  were  rather  cor- 
rupt in  their  manners  and  morals,  and  were  not  fit 
companions  for  a  young  immortal,  whose  mind,  like 
plastic  clay,  was  impressible  to  the  forming  power. 

The  pooi  ho  use  was  not  a  good  place  for  the  boy, 
and  the  wonder  is  that  Harry,  at  twelve  years  of  age, 
was  not  worse  than  we  find  him.  He  had  learned  to 
love  Mr.  Nason,  as  he  had  learned  to  fear  and  to  hate 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  2% 

Squire  "Walker.  The  latter  seemed  to  have  absolute 
power  at  the  p<  jrhouse,  and  to  be  lord  and  mantel 
in  Redfield.  But  when  the  overseer  proposed  to 
place  the  boy  in  the  family  of  a  man  whom  even  the 
paupers  looked  down  upon  and  despised,  his  soul 
rebelled  even  against  the  mandate  of  the  powerful 
magnate  of  the  town. 

Harry  turned  the  matter  over  and  over  in  his  mind 
as  he  sat  upon  the  rock  at  Fine  Plegsant.  At  first 
he  tried  to  reconcile  the  idea  of  living  with  Jacob 
Wire  ;  but  it  was  a  fruitless  effort.  The  poorhouse 
seemed  like  a  paradise  to  such  a  fate. 

Then  he  considered  the  possibility  and  the  practi- 
cability of  resisting  the  commands  of  Squire  Walker. 
He  could  not  obtain  much  satisfaction  from  either 
view  of  the  difficult  problem,  and  as  a  happy  resort 
under  the  trials  of  the  moment,  he  began  to  console 
himself  with  the  reflection  that  Mr.  Nason  might 
prevail  with  the  overseers,  and  save  him  from  his 
doom. 

He   had   not  much  hope  from   this  direction,  and 
while  he  was  turning  again  to  the  question  of  resist- 
ance, he  heard  footsteps  in  the  grove.      He  did  no 
3* 


30  TRY    A.GAIN  ;      1R,    THE    TRIALS 

feel  like  seeing  any  persoi  and  wished  he  could  ge 
out  of  signt ;  but  there  wt  s  no  retreating  without 
oeing  observed,  so  he  lay  c  iwn  upon  the  rock  to 
wait  til]  the  intruder  had  passe  1. 

The  person  approaching  did  rot  purpose  to  let  hiia 
off  so  easily  ;  and  when  Harry  1  card  his  step  on  the 
log  he  raised  himself  up. 

"  Hallo,  Harry  !  What  are  you  i  oing  here  ?  riak- 
ing  a  nap  ?  " 

It  was  Ben  Smart,  a  boy  of  foui  cen,  who  lived 
near  the  poorhouse.  Ben's  reputation  in  Rtifiold 
was  not  A,  No.  1  ;  in  fact,  he  had  been  solemaly  and 
publicly  expelled  from  the  district  schc^l  only  three 
days  before  by  Squire  Walker,  because  the  mistress 
could  not  manage  him.  His  father  was  the  village 
blacksmith,  and  as  he  had  nothing  for  hi-n  to  do' — 
not  particularly  for  the  boy's  benefit — he  kept  him 
at  school  all  the  year  round. 

"  O,  is  that  you,  Ben  ?  "  replied  Harry,  more  foi 
the  sake  of  being  civil  than  because  he  wi  'hed  to 
speak   to  the  other, 

"What  are  you  doing  here  ?  "  asked  Ben,  >hc 
evidently  did  not   understand  how  a  boy  couM    b« 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  81 

ftiere  alone,  unless  he  was  occupied  about  some- 
thing. 

"  Nothing." 

"  Been  in  the  water  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Fishing  ? " 

"  No." 

Ren  was  nonnlussed.  He  suspected  that  Harrj 
had  been,  engaged  in  some  mysterious  occupation, 
whi^k  hp  desired  to  conceal  from  him. 

*l  How  long  you  been  hc;e  r  "  continued  Ben, 
persistently. 

"  About  half  an  hour." 

Ben  stopped  to  think.  He  could  make  nothing  of 
it.  It  was  worse  than  the  double  rule  of  three,  which 
he  conscientiously  believed  had  been  invented  oa 
purpose  to  bother  school  boys. 

"  You  are  up  to  some  trick,  1  Know.  Tell  me  what 
you  come  down  here  for." 

"  Didn't  come  for  any  thing." 

"  What  is  the  use  of  tolling  that.  No  feller  would 
tome  cleai  down  here  for  nothing.''' 

"  I  came  down  to  think,  then,  if  you  must  know,' 
answered  Harry,  rather  testily 


82  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIA.LS 

*^  To  think  !  Well,  that  is  a  good  one  !  Ain't  tht 
poor-farm  big  enough  to  do  your  thinking  on  ?  " 

"  I  chose  to  come  down  here." 

"  Humph  !  You've  got  the  blues,  Harry.  I  should 
think  old  Walker  had  been  afoul  of  you,  by  your 
looks." 

Harry  looked  up  suddenly,  and  wondered  if  Ben 
knew  what  had  happened. 

'•  1  should  like  to  have  the  oid  rascal  do-'rn  here 
for  half  an  hour.  I  should  like  to  souse  him  into  the 
river,  and  hold  his  head  under  till  he  begged  my 
pardon,"  continued  Rp" 

"  So  should  I,"  added  Harry. 

"  Should  you  ?  You  are  a  good  feller,  then  !  I 
mean  to  pay  him  off  for  what  he  did  for  me  the  other 
day.  1  wouldn't  minded  being  turned  out  of  school. 
I  rather  liked  the  idea  ;  but  the  old  muttonhead  got 
cue  up  before  all  the  school,  and  read  me  such  a  lec- 
ture !  He  thinks  there  isn't  any  body  in  the  world 
but  him." 

"  The  lecture  didn't  hurt  you,"  suggested  Harry. 

"  No  ;  it  didn't.     But  that  warn't  the  worst  of  :t." 

«■  What  else  ?  " 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY   WEST.  88 

*'  My  father  give  me  a  confounded  licking  when  1 
got  home.  I  haven't  done  smarting  yet.  But  I  will 
pay  'em  off  for  it  all." 

"  You  mean  Squire  Walker." 

"  And  the  old  man,  too." 

"  If  I  only  had  a  father,  I  wouldn't  mind  letting 
him  lick  me  now  and  then,"  replied  Harry,  to  whom 
home  seemed  a  paradise,  though  he  had  never  under- 
stood it ;  and  a  father  and  mother,  though  coarse  and 
brutal,  his  imagination  pictured  as  angels. 

"  My  father  would  learn  you  better  than  that  in  a 
few  days,"  said  Ben,  who  did  not  appreciate  his 
parents,  especially  when  they  held  the  rod. 

Harry  relapsed  into  musing  again.  He  thought 
how  happy  he  should  have  been  in  Ben's  place.  A 
home,  a  father,  a  mother  !  We  value  most  what  we 
have  not ;  and  if  the  pauper  boy  could  have  had  tv 
blessings  which  crowned  his  reckless  companion's,  s, 
it  seemed  as  though  he  would  have  been  contented 
and  happy.  His  condescension  in  regard  to  the 
flogging  now  and  then,  was  a  sincere  expression  of 
feeling. 

**  Wliat's  old  Walker  been  doing  to  you,  Harrv  ? r 


34  TRY    A.GAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TRIALS 

asked    Ben,   suspecting    the    cause   of    the    other's 
gloom. 

"  He  is  going  to  send  me  to  Jacob  Wire's  to  live." 

"  Whew  !  That  is  a  good  one  !  To  die,  you 
mean.     Harry,  I  wouldn't  stand  that." 

61  I  don't  mean  to." 

"  That's  right ;  I  like  your  spunk.  What  do  you 
mean  to  do  ?  " 

Harry  was  not  prepared  to  answer  this  question. 
He  possessed  a  certain  degree  of  prudence,  and  though 
it  was  easy  to  declare  war  against  so  powerful  an  en- 
emy as  Squire  Walker,  it  was  not  so  easy  to  carry  on 
the  war  after  it  was  declared.  The  overseer  was  a 
bigger  man  to  him  than  the  ogre  in  "  Puss  in  Boots." 
Probably  his  imagination  largely  magnified  the  gran- 
deur of  the  squire's  position,  and  indefinitely  multi- 
plied the  resources  at  his  command. 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do  ?  "  repeated  Ben,  who 
for  some  reason  or  other,  took  a  deep  interest  in  Ha? 
ry's  affairs. 

"  I  don't  know.  I  would  rather  dio  than  go  ;  buv 
»  don't  know  how  I  can  help  myself"  answered  tha 
poor  boy,  gloomily , 


AND    7KIUMPHS    OF    HA.KBY    WEST.  35 

"I  do." 

Harry  looked  up  with  interest  and  surprise.  Ben 
ijmpathized  with  him  in  his  trials,  and  hia  hear? 
warmed  towards  him. 

"  What,  Ben  ?  " 

"  I  daresn't  tell  you  now,"  replied  Ben,  after  a 
ohort  pause. 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Can  you  keep  a  secret  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  can.     Did  I  ever  blow  on  you  ?  " 

"  No,  you  never  did,  Harry.  You  are  a  first  rata 
feller,  and  I  like  you.  But  you  see,  if  you  should 
blow  on  me  now,  you  would  spoil  my  kettle  of  fish, 
and  your  own  too." 

"  But  I  won't,  Ben." 
■    "  Promise  me  solemnly." 

"  Solemnly,"  repeated  Harry. 

"  Well,  then,  1  will  get  you  out  of  the  scrape  U 
nice  as  a  cotton  nat." 

"  How  ? " 

"  I  guess  I  won't  tell  you  now  ;  but  if  you  will 
Dome  down  here  to-night  at  eleven  o'clock,  I  will  let 
ou  into  the  whole  thing." 


56  TET    AGAIN  ;    OB,    THE    TEIALS 

*'  Eleven  o'clock  !  I  can't  come  at  that  time.  We 
»11  go  to  bed  at  eight  o'clock." 

"  Get  up  and  come." 

"  I  can  do  that ;  but  perhaps  Mr  Nason  will  per 
suade  the  overseers  not  to  send  me  to  Jacob  Wire's." 

"  I'm  glad  I  didn't  tell  you,  then.  But  piomise 
me  this,  Harry  :  that,  whatever  happens,  you'll  hold 
your  tongue." 

"  I  will,  Ben." 

*'  And  if  Nason  don't  get  you  off,  be  here  at  eleven 
o'clock.  Put  on  your  best  clothes,  and  take  every 
thing  you  want  with  you." 

"  Going  to  run  away  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  say  so." 

Ben  made  him  promise  again  to  be  secret,  and  they 
separated.  Harry  had  an  idea  of  what  his  companion 
intended,  and  the  scheme  sohed  all  his  doubts.  It 
was  a  practicable  scheme  oi  resistance,  and  tie  re- 
turned to  the  poorhouse,  no  longer  fearful  <f  the 
impend  ng  calamity. 


A»l»    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WRBT. 


CHAPTER    III. 

IK    WHICH    HARRY     LEAVES    THE     POORHOUSE,    AWB 
TAKES    TO    THE    RIVER. 

When  Harry  reached  the  poorhouse,  Mr.  Nason 
was  absent,  and  one  of  the  paupers  told  him  that  he 
had  taken  the  horse  and  wagon.  He  conjectured 
that  the  keeper  had  gone  to  see  the  other  overseers, 
to  intercede  with  them  in  his  behalf.  He  did  not  feel 
as  much  interest  in  the  mission  as  he  had  felt  two 
hours  before,  for  Ben  Smart  had  provided  a  remedy 
for  his  grievances,  which  he  had  fully  decided  to 
adopt. 

It  was  nearly  sunset  before  Mr.  >7ason  returned  ; 
and  when  he  came  his  looks  did  not  seem  to  indicate 
a  favorable  issue.  Harry  helped  him  unharness  the 
horse,  and  as  he  led  him  into  the  barn  the  keeper 
opened  the  subject. 

"  I  have  been  to  see  the  other  overseers,  Harry," 
4 


ttt  THY    AOA1N;    OR,    THE    TRIAL" 

ae  began,  in  tones  which  seemed  tc  promise  nothing 
hopeful. 

<s  I  thought  likely  yon  had  gone." 

"  As  I  supposed,  they  are  all  afraid  oi  Squire 
Walker.  They  daresn't  say  their  sculs  are  theii 
own." 

"  Then  I  must  go  to  Jacob  Wire's." 

"  The  other  o\  ersecrs  declare,  if  the  squire  says 
bo,  you  must." 

"  It  is  a  hard  case,  Mr.  Nason,"  replied  Harry,  not 
much  disappointed  at  the  result. 

"  I  know  it  is,  Harry.  Perhaps  you  might  try  the 
place,  and  then,  if  you  found  you  couldn't  stand  it 
we  might  make  another,  trial  to  get  you  off." 

"  1  don't  want  to  go  there,  any  how.  I  should 
like  to  help  duck  the  squire  in  the  horse  pond." 

"  Well,  Harry,  I  have  done  all  1  can  for  you,' 
continued  Mr.  Nason,  seating  himself  on  a  keg  on  the 
barn  floor.     "  I  wish  I  could  help  you." 

"  You  have  been  very  good  to  me,  Mr.  Nason.  ' 
shall  always  remember  you  as  the  best  friend  1  evei 
had,"  replied  Harry,  the  tears  streaming  down  nil 
sun- browned  cheeks. 


AND    TRrtrMTHS    OF    I7ARRT     WEST.  3S 

"  Never  mind  that,  Harry  ;   don't  cry." 

"  I  can't  help  it  ;  you  have  been  so  good  tc  me, 
that  1  hate  to  leave  you,"  blubbered  Harry. 

"  1  am  sorry  you  must  leave  us  ;  we  shall  miss 
you  about  the  place,  and  I  wish  it  was  so  that  you 
could  stay.  But  what  makes  it  ten  times  worse,  is 
the  idea  of  your  going  to  Jacob  Wire's." 

"  Mr.  Nason,"  said  Harry,  dashing  down  his  tears, 
and  looking  earnestly  at  the  keeper,  "  I  have  made 
up  my  mind  that  I  won't  go  to  Wire's  any  how." 

"  I  don't  blame  you  ;  but  I  don't  see  how  you  can 
fight  the  squire.  He  carries  too  many  guns  for  you, 
or  for  me  either,  for  that  matter.  I  have  been  think- 
ing of  something,  Harry,  though  I  suppose,  if  I  should 
spef.k  it  out  loud,  it  would  be  as  much  as  my  place 
here  is  worth." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  of  something,  too,"  con- 
tinued Harry,  with  a  good  deal  of  emphasis. 

"  What  ?  " 

"  I  can't  tell  even  you." 

Mr.  Nason,  sympathizing  deeply  with  his  young 
friend,  did  not  attempt  to  obtain  any  knowledge 
whose  possession  might  be  inconvenient  to  him.     H« 


40  THY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRI  ILS 

was  disposed  to  help  the  boy  escape  the  fate  in  stor« 
for  him  ;  but  at  the  same  time,  having  a  farrily  to 
Biipp  ,rt,  he  did  not  wish  to  lose  his  situation,  though, 
if  <he  emergency  had  demanded  it,  he  would  probably 
have  oeen  willing  to  make  even  this  sacrifice. 

"  I  was  thinking,  Harry,  how  astonished  the  squire 
would  be,  when  he  comes  over  in  the  morning  to 
take  you  to  Jacob  Wire's,  if  he  should  not  happen  tc 
find  you  here." 

"  I  dare  say  he  would,"  answered  Harry,  with  a 
meaning  smile. 

"  By  the  way,  have  you  heard  from  Charles  Smith 
lately  ?  You  know  he  went  to  Boston  last  spring, 
and  they  say  he  has  got  a  place,  and  is  doing  first 
rate  there." 

The  keeper  smiled  as  he  spoke,  and  Harry  under- 
stood him  as  well  as  though  he  had  spoken  out  th 
real  thought  that  was  in  his  mind. 

"  1  suppose  others  might  do  as  he  has  done." 

"  No  doubt  of  it." 

Mr.  Nason  took  from  his  pecket  the  large  shot  bafl 
purse,  in  which  he  kept  his  change,  and  picked  ou 
four  quarters. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  41 

%'  Here,  Harry,  take  these ;  when  you  get  over 
to  Wire's,  money  will  keep  you  from  starving.  It 
will  almost  any  where,  for  that  matter." 

"  How  good  you  are  !  "  exclaimed  Harry  <ts  he 
took  the  four  quarters.  "  You  have  been  a  father  to 
me,  and  one  of  these  days  I  shall  be  able  to  pay 
you  this  money  back  again." 

"Don't  trouble  yourself  about  that.  Keep  it; 
and  I  wish  I  had  a  hundred  times  as  much  to  give 
you." 

"  I  shall  never  forget  you,  Mr.  Xason.  I  shall  be 
a  man  one  of  these  days,  and  we  shall  meet  again." 

The  supper  bell  rang,  and  they  separated.  Harry 
felt  the  spirit  of  a  man  stirring  within  him.  He  felt 
that  the  world  had  cast  him  off,  and  refused  him  a 
home,  even  in  the  poorhouse.  He  was  determined 
to  push  his  way  through  life  like  a  hero,  and  he 
nerved  himself  to  meet  whatever  haidships  and  trials 
might  be  apportioned  to  him. 

After  supper  he  went  to  his  room,  gathered  up  the 
"ew  articles  of  clothing  which  constituted  his  ward- 
robe, and  tying  them  up  in  a  bundle ,  concealed  them 
in  a  hollo »v  stump  back  of  the  barn. 


42  TRY    AOA.IN  ;     OB,    THE    TRIALS 

At  eight  o'clock  he  went  to  bed  as  usual.  He  fel1 
no  desire  to  sleep,  and  would  not  have  dared  to  do  sc 
if  he  had.  He  heard  the  old  kitchen  clock  stiit*. 
icn.  The  house  was  still,  for  all  had  long  ago  retii  ed 
to  their  rest,  and  he  could  hear  the  sonorous  snoies 
of  the  paupers  in  the  adjoining  rooms.  His  heait 
beat  quick  with  anxiety.  It  was  a  novel  position  in 
which  he  found  himself.  He  had  been  accustomed 
to  do  every  thing  fairly  and  "  above  board,"  and  the 
thought  of  rising  from  his  bed  and  sneaking  out  of 
the  house  like  a  thief  was  repulsive  to  him.  But  it 
was  a  good  cause,  in  his  estimation,  and  he  did  not 
waste  much  sentiment  upon  the  matter.  A  conspira- 
cy had  been  formed  to  cheat  him  of  his  hopes  and  of 
his  future  happiness,  and  it  seemed  right  to  him  that 
he  should  flee  from  those  with  whom  he  could  not 
(successfully  contend. 

Carefully  and  stealthily  he  crept  out  of  bed,  and 
put  on  his  best  clothes,  which  w;re  nothing  to  boast 
of  at  that,  for  there  was  many  a  darn  and  many  a 
patch  upon  the  jacket  and  the  trousers.  Stockings 
and  shoes  were  luxuries  in  which  Harry  was  not  in* 
dulged  in  the  warm  season  ;  but  he  had  a  pair  0/ 
each,  which  he  took  utiJer  his  arm. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HaRKY    WEST.  4a 

Like  a  mouse  he  crept  down  stairs,  and  lea  hed 
the  back  dooi  of  the  house  without  having  disturbed 
an)'  of  its  inmates.  There  were  no  locks  on  the 
poorhouse  doors,  for  burglars  and  thieves  never  in- 
vaded the  home  of  the  stricken,  forsaken  paupers. 

The  door  opened  with  a  sharp  creak,  and  Uarrj 
was  sure  he  was  detected.  For  several  minutes  he 
waited,  but  no  sound  was  heard,  and  more  carefully 
he  opened  the  door  wide  enough  to  permit  his  pas- 
sage out. 

He  was  now  in  the  open  air,  and  a  sensation  of 
relief  pervaded  his  mind.  He  was  free.  No  man 
was  his  master  in  this  world,  and  he  had  not  learned 
to  think  much  of  the  other  world.  As  he  passed 
througL  the  cow  yard,  he  heard  the  old  gray  mare 
whinny,  and  he  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to 
pay  her  a  parting  visit.  They  had  been  firm  friends 
for  years,  and  as  he  entered  the  barn  she  seemed  to 
•ecognize  him  in  the  darkness. 

"  Good  by,  old  Prue.  I  am  going  away  to  leave 
you,'  said  Harry,  in  low  tones,  as  he  patted  the  mare 
upon  her  neck.  "  I  hope  they  will  use  you  well 
Next  to  Mr.  Xason,  you  hav»  been  my  best  friend 
flood  bv,  old  Prue." 


14  tkt  again;   ok,  the   : rials 

The  mare  whinnied  again,  as  though  she  perfect!) 
comprehended  this  affectionate  speech,  and  wished  tc 
express  her  sympathy  with  her  young  friend  in  hri 
own  most  eloquent  language.  Perhaps  Harry  could 
not  render  the  speech  into  the  vernacular,  but  he  had 
a  high  appreciation  of  her  good  feeling,  and  repeated 
his  caresses. 

"  Good  by,  old  Prue  ;  but,  before  I  go,  I  shall  give 
you  one  more  feed  of  oats  —  the  very  last." 

The  localities  of  the  barn  were  as  familiar  to  him 
as  those  of  his  own  chamber  ;  and  taking  the  half 
peck  measure,  he  filled  it  heaping  full  of  oats  at  the 
grain  chest,  as  readily  as  though  it  had  been  deal 
daylight. 

"  Here,  Prue,  is  the  last  feed  I  shall  give  you ;  " 
&nd  he  emptied  the  contents  of  the  measure  into  the 
trough.  "  Good  by,  old  Prue ;  I  shall  never  see  you 
again." 

The  mare  plunged  her  nose  deep  down  into  I  lid 
savory  mess,  and  seemed  for  a  moment  to  forget  hei 
friend  in  the  selfish  gratification  of  her  appetite.  Ii 
she  had  fully  realized  the  unpleasant  fact  that  ILirrj 
was  going,  perhaps  she  might  have  been  less  s-clfish  ■ 


AKD    TRIUMPUS    OF     HAKKY     WEST  4C 

for  this  was  not  the  first  time  she  had  been  indebted 
to  him  for  extra  rations. 

Passing  through  the  barn,  the  runaway  Mas  again 
in  the  open  air.  Every  thing  looked  gloomy  and  sad 
to  him,  and  the  scene  was  as  solemn  as  a  funeral. 
There  were  no  sounds  to  be  heard  but  the  monoto- 
nous chirp  of  the  cricket,  and  the  dismal  piping  of 
the  frogs  in  the  meadow.  Even  the  owl  and  the 
whip-poor-will  had  ceased  their  nocturnal  notes,  and 
tht  stars  looked  more  gloomy  than  he  had  ever  seen 
them  before. 

There  was  no  time  to  moralize  over  these  things, 
though,  as  he  walked  along,  he  could  not  help  think- 
ing how  strange  and  solemn  every  thing  seemed  on 
that  eventful  night.  It  was  an  epoch  in  his  history  ; 
one  of  those  turning  points  in  human  life,  when  all 
the  works  of  nature  and  of  art,  borrowing  the  spiiit 
which  pervades  the  soul,  assume  odd  and  unfamiliar 
forms.  Harry  was  not  old  enough  or  wise  enough  to 
comprehend  the  importance  of  the  step  he  was  taking  ; 
•till  he  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  strangeness  with- 
'n  and  without. 

TYking    his    bundle    from    the    hollow    stump,   he 


46  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

directed  his  step?  o wards  Pine  Pleasant.  He  walked 
very  slowly,  for  his  feelings  swelled  within  him, 
and  retarded  his  steps.  His  imagination  w;is  busy 
with  the  past,  or  wandering  vaguely  to  the  unex- 
plored future,  which  with  bright  promises  tempted 
him  to  press  on  to  the  goal  of  prosperity.  lie 
yearned  to  be  a  man ;  to  leap  in  an  instant  over  the 
years  of  discipline,  that  yawned  like  a  great  gulf  be- 
tween his  youth  and  his  manhood.  He  wanted  to  bo 
a  man,  that  hio  strong  arm  might  strike  great  blows ; 
that  he  might  win  his  way  up  to  wealth  and  honor. 

Why  coul  in't  he  be  a  great  man  like  Squire 
Walker.     Squire  West  wouldn't  sound  bad. 

"  One  has  only  to  be  rich  in  order  to  be  great,' 
thought  he.  "  Why  can't  1  be  rich,  as  well  as  any 
body  else  :  Who  was  that  old  fellow  that  saved  up 
his  fourpe  ices  till  he  was  worth  a  hundred  thousand 
dollars  ?  I  can  do  it  as  well  as  he,  though  1  won't 
be  as  mean  as  they  say  he  was.  any  how.  There  aie 
thanees  enough  to  get  rich,  and  if  I  fail  i:i  one  thing, 
why  —  "[  can  try  again." 

Thut  Harry  mused  as  he  walked  along,  and  fixed  a 
definite    purpose   before   him  to   be  accomplished   ir 


ASD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WE5T.  47 

Bfe,  It  is  true  it  was  not  a  very  lofty  or  a  very  nc  1j1* 
purpose,  merely  to  be  rich  ;  but  he  had  been  cbligec 
to  do  his  own  philosophizing.  He  had  not  yet  dis- 
covered the  true  philosopher's  stone.  He  had  con- 
cluded, like  the  alchemists  of  old,  that  it  was  the  art 
of  turning  any  thing  into  gold.  The  paupers,  in  then 
poverty,  had  talked  most  and  prayed  most  for  that 
which  they  had  not.  Wealth  was  to  them  the  loft. est 
ideal  of  happiness,  and  Harry  had  adopted  their  con- 
clusions. It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  Harry's 
first  resolve  was  to  be  a  rich  man. 

"  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  cf  heaven,  and  all 
these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you,"  was  a  text 
which  he  had  often  heard  repeated ;  but  he  did  not 
comprehend  its  meaning,  and  he  had  reversed  the 
proposition,  determined  to  look  out  for  "  all  these 
things  "  first. 

The  village  clock  struck  eleven,  and  the  peal  of  the 
clear  notes  on  the  silent  air  cut  short  his  meditations, 
and  admonished  him  to  quicken  his  pace,  or  Ben 
would  reach  the  place  of  rendezvous  before  him.  He 
intered  the  still  shades  of  Pine  Pleasant,  but  saw 
dotting  of  his  confederate.     Seating  himself  on  th« 


18  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,   THE    TRIALS 

familiar  rock  in  the  river,  he  returned  to  his  medita 
tsons. 

He  had  hardly  laid  down  the  first  proposition  in 
solving  the  problem  of  his  future  success,  before  he 
was  startled  by  the  discovery  of  a  bright  light  in  the 
direction  of  the  village.  It  was  plainly  a  building 
on  fire,  and  his  first  impulse  was  to  rush  to  the  meet- 
ing house  and  give  the  alarm  ;  but  prudence  forbade. 
His  business  was  with  the  great  world  and  the  future 
not  with  Redfield  and  the  present. 

A  few  moments  later  the  church  bell  pealed  its 
startling  notes,  and  he  heard  the  cry  of  fire  in  the 
village.  The  building,  whatever  it  was,  had  become 
a  mass  of  fierce  flames,  which  no  human  arm  could 
Btay. 

While  he  was  watching  the  exciting  spectacle,  he 
heard  footsteps  in  the  grove,  and  Ben  Smart,  out  of 
breath  and  nearly  exhausted,  leaped  upon  the  rock. 

"  So  vou  are  here,  Harry,"  gasped  he- 

"1  am,  Ben,"  replied  Harry.  "Where  is  the 
die  r  " 

"  We  have  no  time  to  waste  now,"  panted  Ben, 
reusing  himself  anew.     "  We  must  be  o4*"  n*  once." 


AND    TBICJMPHS    OF    HVRRY    WK8T.  49 

Ben  descended  to  the  lower  side  of  the  rock,  and 
hauled  a  small  flat-bottomed  boat  out  of  the  bushes 
that  grew  on  the  river's  brink. 

"  Where  is  the  fire,  Ben  ?  "  persisted  Harry. 

"Never  mind  the  fire  now;  jump  into  the  boat, 
and  let  us  be  off." 

Harry  obeyed,  and  Ben  pushed  off  from  the  rock. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ?  "  asked  Harry,  not  much 
pleased  either  with  the  imperative  tone  or  the  haughty 
leserve  of  his  companion. 

"  Down  the  river.  Take  the  paddle  and  steer  her ; 
the  current  will  take  her  along  fast  enough.  I  am  so 
tired  I  can't  do  a  thing  more." 

Harry  took  the  paddle  and  seated  himself  in  the 
Btern  of  the  boat,  while  Ben,  puffing  and  blowing 
like  a  locomotive,  placed  himself  at  the  bow. 

"  Tell  me  now  where  the  fire  is,"  said  Harry, 
whose  curiosity  would  not  be  longer  resisted. 

M  Squire  Walker's  barn" 
6 


JO  TRY    AGAIN:     OK,    1HE    TRIALS 


CHATTER    IV. 

IN    WHICH     IT    IS    SHOWN    THAT    THE     NAVIGATIOH 
OF    THE    RIVER    IS    DIFFICULT    AND    DANGEROUS. 

Harry  was  astounded  at  this  information.  Bon 
was  exhausted,  as  though  he  had  been  running  very 
hard  ;  hesides,  he  was  much  agitated  —  more  so  than 
the  circumstances  of  the  occasion  seemed  to  justify. 
In  connection  with  the  threat  which  his  companion 
had  uttered  that  day,  these  appearances  seemed  to 
point  to  a  solution  of  the  burning  building.  He 
readily  understood  that  Ben,  in  revenge  for  the  indig- 
nity the  squire  had  cast  upon  him,  had  set  the  barn 
on  fire,  and  was  now  running  away  by  the  light  of  it. 

This  was  more  than  he  had  bargained  for.     How- 
ever il  -natured   he   felt   towards   the  squhe   for  his 
proposel  to   send  him   to  Jacob  Wire's,  it  never  oc- 
curred  to   him  to  retaliate   by  committing   a   crime 
Eiis   ideas    of   Christian    charity  and   of  forgiveness 


ANTJ    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEKY    WEST.  51 

were  but  partially  developed ;  and  though  he  could 
riot  feel  right  towards  his  powerful  enemy,  he  felt  no 
desire  to  punish  him  so  severely  as  Ben  had  done. 

His  companion  gave  him  a  short  answer,  and  man- 
ifested no  disposition  to  enlarge  upon  the  subject; 
and  for  several  minutes  both  maintained  a  profound 
silence. 

The  boat,  drifting  slowly  with  the  current,  was 
passing  from  the  pond  into  the  narrow  river,  and  it 
required  all  Harry's  skill  to  keep  her  from  striking 
the  banks  on  either  side.  His  mind  was  engrossed 
with  the  contemplation  of  the  new  and  startling 
event  which  had  so  suddenly  presented  itself  to 
embarrass  his  future  operations.  Ben  was  a  criminal 
in  the  eye  of  the  law,  and  would  be  subjected  to  a 
severe  penalty  if  detected. 

"  I  shouldn't  have  thought  you  would  have  done 
that,"  Harry  observed,  when  the  silence  became  pain- 
ful to  him. 

"  Done  what  ?  "  asked  Ben,  sharply. 

*'  Set  the  barn  afire." 

"  Who  said  I  set  it  afire  ?  " 

"  W  eil,  I  can  see  through  a  millstone  when  th^re 
is  a  hole  in  it"' 


S2  1BT  again;   ok,  the  trials 

•-  t  didn't  say  I  set  the  barn  afire." 

'*  I  know  you  didn't ;  but  you  said  you  meant  U 
pi")  the  squire  off  for  what  he  had  done  to  you." 

"  I  mean  to." 

"  Haven't  y :  a  done  it  already  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  say  I  had,"  answered  Ben,  who  was  evi- 
dently debating  with  himself  whether  he  should  admit 
'Tarry  to  his  confidence. 

"  But  didn't  you  set  the  barn  afire?  " 

"  What  if  I  did  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  should  say  you  run  a  great  risk." 

"  I  don't  care  for  that." 

**  I  see  the  reason,  now,  why  you  wouldn't  tell  mc 
what  you  was  going  to  do  before." 

"  We  are  in  for  it  now,  Harry.  I  meant  to  pay  off 
the  squire,  and " 

"  Then  you  did  set  the  barn  afire  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  say  so ;  and,  more  than  that,  I  don't 
mean  to  say  so.  If  you  can  see  through  a  millstone 
why,  just  open  your  eyes —  that's  all  " 

"  I  am  sorry  you  did  it,  Ben." 

*'  No  whining,  Harry  ;  be  a  man." 

"  I  mean  to  be  a  man ;  but  I  don't  think  there  wtf 
any  need  of  burning  the  barn." 


4.JTD    TKIT'MPHS    OF    HAEKT    "WEST.  53 

"  I  do  ;  I  couldn't  leave  Redfield  without  squaring 
accounts  with  Squire  Walker." 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Ben  ?  " 

"  To  Boston,  of  course." 

"  How  shall  we  get  there  ?  " 

"  We  will  go  hy  the  river,  as  far  as  we  can  ;  then 
take  to  the  road." 

"  But  this  is  George  I  eman's  hoat  —  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  You  hooked  it  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  did ;  you  don't  suppose  I  should 
mind  trifles  at  such  a  time  as  this  !  But  he  can  have 
it  again,  when  I  have  done  with  it." 

"  What  was  the  use  of  taking  the  hoat  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  don't  you  think  it  is  easier  to 
sail  in  a  boat  than  to  walk  ?  And  in  the  second 
place,  the  river  runs  through  the  woods  for  five  or 
six  miles  below  Pine  Pleasant  ;  so  that  no  one  will 
be  likely  to  see  us.  We  shall  get  off  without  being 
found  out." 

"  But  the  river  is  not  deep  enough.  It  is  full  of 
ricks  about  three  miles  down." 

"We  won't  mind  them.  We  can  keep  her  cleai 
5* 


64  TRY  AGAIN*    or,   the  trials 

of  the  rocks  well  enough.  When  I  was  down  th« 
river  last  spring,  yc  u  couldn't  see  a  single  rock  above 
water,  and  we  don't  draw  more  than  six  inches." 

"  But  that  was  in  the  spring,  when  the  water  was 
high.     I  don't  believe  we  can  get  the  boat  through." 

"Yes,  we  can ;  at  any  rate,  we  can  jump  ashore 
and  tow  her  down,"  replied  Ben,  confidently,  though 
his  cah-iilations  were  somewhat  disturbed  by  Harry'3 
reasoning. 

"  There  is  another  difficulty,  Ben,"  suggesu-ii 
Harry. 

"  O,  there  are  a  hundred  difficulties  ;  but  we 
mustn't  mind  them." 

"  They  will  miss  the  boat,  and  suspect  at  once  who 
aas  got  it." 

"  We  shall  be  out  of  their  reach  when  they  miss  it.' 

"  I  heard  George  Leman  say  he  was  going  a  fishi- 
ng in  her  to-morrow." 

"  Did  you?  Then  why  didn't  you  say  so  before?" 
retorted  Ben,  angrily. 

"  Because  you  didn't  tell  me  what  you  were  going 
to  do.      How  could  I  ?  " 

"  Never  mind  ;  it  is  no  use  to  cry  for  spilt  milk 
We  will  maKe  the  best  of  it." 


A.ND    TRITTMrHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  65 

"  We     e  in  for  it  now." 

"  That  we  are  ;  and  if  you  only  stick  by  me,  it 
*lA  all  come  out  right.  If  we  get. caught,  you  mu.it 
keep  a  stiff  upper  lip." 

*'  Never  fear  me." 

"  And,  above  all,  don't  blow  on  me." 

"  Of  course  I  won't." 

"  Whatever  happens,  promise  that  you  will  stick 
[)v  me." 

"  I  will,  Ben." 

'•  That's  a  good  fellow,  Harry.  On  that,  we  will 
take  a  bit  of  luncheon,  and  have  a  good  time  of  it." 

As  he  spoke,  Ben  drew  out  from  under  the  scat  in 
(he  bow  a  box  filled  with  bread  and  cheese. 

"  You  see  we  arc  provisioned  for  a  cruise,  Harry," 
added  Ben,  as  he  offered  the  contents  of  the  box  to 
his  companion.  "  Here  is  enough  to  last  us  two  of 
hrce  days." 

"  But  you  don't  mean  to  keep  on  the  river  so  Icrig 
is  that  ?  " 

"  I  mean  to  stick  to  the  boat  as  long  as  the  naviga- 
tion will  permit,"  replied  Ben,  with  more  energy  than 
ae  had   before  manifested,  for  he  was  recoveiing  frcr* 


56  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

;he  perturbation  with  which  the  crime  he  had  com- 
mitted filled  his  mind, 

"  There  is  a  factory  Tillage,  with  a  dam  across  tk« 
river,  six  or  seven  miles  below  here." 

"  1  know  it ;  but  perhaps  we  can  get  the  boat 
round  the  dam  in  the  night  time,  and  continue  ui 
voyage  below.  Don't  you  remember  that  piece  in 
the  Reader  about  John  Ledyard,  —  how  he  went 
down  the  Connecticut  River  in  a  canoe  ?  " 
"  Yes  ;  and  you  got  your  idea  from  that  ?  " 
"  I  did  ;  and  I  mean  to  have  a  first  rate  time  of  it." 
Ben  proceeded  to  describe  the  anticipated  pleasures 
of  the  river  voyage,  as  he  munched  his  bread  and 
cheese  ;  and  Harry  listened  with  a  great  deal  of  sat- 
isfaction. Running  away  was  not  such  a  terrible 
thing,  after  all.  It  was  both  business  and  pleasure, 
and  his  imagination  was  much  inflated  by  the  bril- 
liant prospect  before  him.  There  was  something  so 
novel  and  exciting  in  the  affair,  that  his  first  experi- 
ence was  of  the  most  delightful  character. 

He  foi£ot  the  crime  his  companion  had  committed. 
and  had  almost  come  to  regard  the  burning  of  tht 
squire's   barn  as  a  just  and  proper  retrL  ution  upoa 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    ^EST.  5 

him,  for  conspiring  against  the  rights  and  privilege! 
of  young  America. 

My  young  readers  may  not  know  how  easy  it  is 
even  for  a  good  hoy  to  learn  to  love  the  companion- 
ship of  those  who  are  vicious,  and  disposed  to  take 
the  road  which  leads  down  to  moral  ruin  and  death. 
Those  lines  of  Pope,  which  are  familiar  to  almost 
every  school  boy,  convey  a  great  truth,  and  a  thrilling 
warning  to  those  who  first  find  themselves  taking 
pleasure  in  the  society  of  wicked  men,  01  wicked 
Days : — 

"  Vice  is  a  monster  of  so  frightful  mien 
As  to  be  hated,  needs  but  to  be  seen  ; 
But  seen  too  oft,  familiar  with  her  face, 
"VYe  first  endure,  then  pity,  then  embrace.  ' 

Now,  1  have  not  represented  my  hero,  at  this  stage 
of  the  story,  as  a  very  good  boy,  and  it  did  not  re- 
quire much  time  to  familiarize  him  with  the  wicked- 
ness which  was  in  Ben's  heart,  and  which  he  did  not 
take  any  pains  to  conceal.  The  transition  from  en- 
during to  pitying,  and  from  that  to  embracing,  was 
sudden  and  easy,  if,  indeed,  tlere  was  any  miudl* 
passage  between  the  firsl  and  last  stage. 


58  try  again;   or,  the  trials 

I  am  sorry  tc  say  that  an  hour's  fellowship  witfc 
Ben,  under  the  exciting-  cireu.mytan.ces  in  which  we 
find  them,  had  led  him  to  think  Ben  a  very  good 
fellow,  notwithstanding  the  crime  he  had  committed. 
I  shall  do  my  young  reader  the  justice  to  believe  he 
hopes  Harry  will  be  a  better  boy,  and  obtain  higher 
and  nobler  views  of  duty.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  Harry  had  never  learned  to  "  love  God  and  man  " 
on  the  knee  of  an  affectionate  mother.  He  had  long 
ago  forgotten  the  little  prayers  she  had  taught  him, 
and  none  were  said  at  the  poorhouse.  We  are  sorry 
he  was  no  better ;  bjit  when  we  consider  under  what 
influences  he  had  been  brought  up,  it  is  not  strange 
that  he  was  not  a  good  boy.  Above  every  earthlv 
good,  we  may  be  thankful  for  the  blessing  of  a  good 
home,  where  we  have  been  taught  our  duty  to  God, 
-o  our  fellow-beings,  and  to  ourselves. 

The  young  navigators  talked  lightly  of  the  present 
and  the  future,  as  the  boat  floated  gently  along 
through  the  gloomy  forest.  They  heard  the  Redfield 
clock  strike  twelve,  and  then  one.  The  excitement 
had  begun  to  die  out.  Harry  yawned,  for  he  missed 
his  accustomed  sleep,  and  felt  that  a  few  houis'  rest 


ANT)    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY   "WEST.  5* 

n  Iris  bed  at  the  poorhouse  was  even  preferable  tc 
navigating  the  river  at  midnight.  Ren  gaped  several 
times,  and  the  fun  was  really  getting  very  stale. 

Those  "  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,"  or  navi- 
gate the  river  in  boats,  must  keep  their  eyes  open.  It 
will  never  do  to  slumber  at  the  helm  ;  and  Harry  soon 
had  a  practical  demonstration  of  the  truth  of  the  prop- 
osition. He  was  so  sleepy  that  he  could  not  possibly 
keep  his  eyes  open  ;  and  Ben,  not  having  the  care  of 
the  helm,  had  actually  dropped  off,  and  was  bowing 
as  j  olitely  as  a  French  dancing  master  to  his  compan- 
ion in  the  stern.  They  were  a  couple  of  smart  sail- 
ors, and  needed  a  little  wholesome  discipline  to  teach 
them  the  duty  of  those  who  are  on  the  watch. 

The  needed  lesson  was  soon  administered  ;  for  just 
as  Ben  was  making  one  of  his  lowest  bows  in  hia 
semi-conscious  condition,  the  bow  of  the  boat  ran 
upon  a  concealed  rock,  which  caused  her  to  keel  over 
on  one  side,  and  very  gently  pitch  the  sleeper  into 
the  river. 

Of  course,  this  catastrophe  brought  the  com* 
mander  of  the  expedition  to  his  senses,  and  roused 
the  helmsman  to   a  sense  of  his  own  delinquency; 


50  thy  again;   or,  the  tkials 

though  it  is  clear  that,  as  there  were  no  light housei 
<3n  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  the  intricacies  of  the 
channel  had  never  been  denned  and  charted  for  the 
benefit  of  the  adventurous  navigator,  no  human  fore- 
thought could  have  provided  against  the  accident. 

Harry  put  the  boat  about,  and  assisted  Lis  dripping 
shipmate  on  board  again.  The  ducking  he  had  re- 
ceived did  not  operate  very  favorably  upon  Ben's 
temper,  and  he  roundly  reproached  his  companion  for 
his  carelessness.  The  steersman  replied  with  becom- 
ing spirit  to  this  groundless  charge,  telling  him  he 
had  ■  better  keep  his  eyes  open  the  rest  of  the  night. 
Wet  and  chilly  as  he  was,  Ben  couldn't  help  growl- 
ing ;  and  both  evidently  realized  that  the  affair  was 
not  half  as  romantic  as  they  had  adjudged  it  to  be  an 
hour  or  two  before. 

"  Never  mind  it,  Ben.  If  we  fail  once  let  us  try 
again  —  that's  all." 

"  Try  again  ?  You  want  to  drown  me,  don't  you," 
snarled  Ben. 

Harry  assured  him  he  did  not,  and  called  his  at- 
ten  lion  to  the,  sound  of  dashing  waters,  which  could 
now    be  plainly  heard.     They  were  approaching  the 


AJfU    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  6l 

rocks,  and  it  was  certain  from  the  noise  that  difficult 
navigation  was  before  them.  Harry  proposed  to  haul 
up  by  the  river's  side,  and  wait  for  daylight ;  to  which 
proposition,  Ben,  whose  ardor  was  effectually  cooled 
by  the  bath  he  had  received,  readily  assented. 

Accordingly  they  made  fast  the  painter  to  a  ttee 
on  trie  shore,  and  both  ot  them  disembarked.  While 
Harry  was  gathering  up  a  pile  of  dead  leaves  for  a 
bed,  Ben  amused  himself  by  wringing  out  his  wet 
clothes. 

;' Suppose  we  make  a  fire,  Harry?"  suggested 
Ben  ;  and  it  would  certainly  have  been  a  great  luxury 
to  one  in  his  damp  condition. 

"  No  ;  it  will  betray  us,"  replied  Harry,  with 
alarm. 

"  Humph  !  It  is  easy  enough  for  you  to  talk,  who 
are  warm  and  dry,"  growled  Ben.  "  I  am  going  to 
have  a  fire,  any  how." 

In  vain  Harry  protested.  Ben  had  some  matches 
ia  the  boat,  and  in  a  few  minutes  a  cheerful  fire 
blazed  in  the  forest.  As  the  leader  of  the  enterprise 
felt  its  glowing  warmth,  his  temper  was  sensibly  im- 
pr'  ed.  and  he  even  had  the  hardihood  to  laugh  a* 
& 


62  IKY    AGAIN  ;     OR.    THE    TRIALS 

his  late  misfortune.  But  Harry  did  not  caie  jusl 
then  whether  his  companion  was  pleasant  or  sour, 
for  he  had  stretched  himself  on  his  bed  of  leaver,  and 
was  in  a  fair  way  to  forget  the  trials  and  hardships 
of  the  voyage  in  the  deep  sleep  which  makes  it  "  all 
night  '  with  a  tired  boy. 

After  Ben  was  thoroughly  dried  and  warmed,  he 
planed  himself  by  the  side  of  his  fellow-voyager,  and 
both  journeyed  together  through  the  quiet  shiules  of 
dreamland,  leaving  no  wakeful  eye  to  watch  over  tht 
interests  of  the  expedition  while  they  slumbered. 


AJCD    TBIUMPHS    OF    UAKET    WEST.  63 


CHAPTER    V. 

ri»    WHICH    HARKY     FIOHTS    A     HARD    BATTLE,    AND 
IS    DEFEATED. 

The  sun  was  high  in  the  heavens  when  the  tired 
boatmen  awoke.  Unaccustomed  as  they  were  to 
fatigue  and  late  hours,  they  had  been  completely 
overcome  by  the  exertion  and  exposure  of  the  pre- 
vious night.  Harry  was  the  first  to  recover  his  lost 
senses;  and  when  he  opened  his  eyes,  every  thing 
looked  odd  and  strange  to  him.  It  was  not  the 
rough,  but  neat  and  comfortable  little  room  in  the 
poorhouse  which  greeted  his  dawning  consciousness  : 
it  was  the  old  forest  and  the  dashing  river.  He 
did  not  feel  quite  at  home  ;  the  affair  had  been  di- 
gested of  its  air  of  romance,  and  he  felt  more  like  a 
runaway  boy  than  the  hero  of  a  fairy  tale. 

"  Hallo,  BeD  '  "   shouted  he,  to  his  sleeping  com 
panion. 


61  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

Ben  growled  once,  and  then  rolled  over,  as  if  angrj 
at  being  disturbed. 

44  Ben !  We  shall  be  caught,  if  you  don't  wake 
up.  There,  the  clock  is  striking  eight !  "  and  to  give 
P>en  a  better  idea  of  where  he  was,  he  administered 
a  smart  kick  in  the  region  of  the  ribs. 

44  What  are  you  about  ? "  snarled  Ben,  springing 
to  his  feet  with  clinched  fists. 

44  Time  we  were  moving.  Don't  you  see  how  higt 
the  sun  is  ?     The  clock  has  just  struck  eight." 

44  No  matter  for  that.  We  are  just  as  safe  here  as 
any  where  else.  You  kick  me  again,  and  see  where 
you  will  be  !  " 

44  Cor.<e,  come,  Ben  ;  don't  get  mad." 

44  Don't  kick  me,  then." 

44  What  are  you  going  to  do  now  ?  " 

44  That's  my  business.  You  do  what  I  tell  you , 
that's  all  you  have  to  do  with  it,"  replied  Ben,  im« 
periously,  as  he  walked  to  the  bank  of  the  river  to 
purvey  the  difficulties  of  the  navigation. 

44  Is  it  ? "  asked  Harry,  not  particularly  pleased 
with  this  interpretation  of  their  relations. 

**  You  better  believe  it  ii." 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  66 

"  1  don't  believe  any  thing  of  the  kind.  I  ain't 
your  nigger,  any  how  !  "  added  Harry,  with  spirit. 

"  I'll  bet  yju  are." 

4<  I'll  bet  I  ain't." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it  ?  " 

"  I'll  let  you  know  what  I  am  going  to  do." 

1   If  you   don't  mind  what  I   tell  you,  I'll   wallo 
vou  on  the  spot." 

"  No,  you  wont  ;  "  and  Harry  turned  on  his  heel, 
and  leisurely  walked  off  towards  the  thickest  of  tha 
forest. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ?  " 

"  Off." 

"  Off  where  ?  " 

"  Do  you  think  I'm  going  to  stay  with  you,  to  be 
treated  like  a  dog  !  "  replied  Harry,  as  he  continued 
his  letreat. 

Ben  started  after  him,  but  Harry  picked  up  a  stick 
of  wood  and  stood  on  the  defensive. 

"  Now,  if  you  don't  come  back,  I'll  break  you: 
head  !  "  said  Ben. 

"  Look  out  that  your  own  don't  get  broke  ;  "  and 
Harry  brandished  his  cudgel  in  the  air. 
a* 


66  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

Ben  glanced  at  the  club,  and  saw  from  the  flash  o^ 
Harry's  bright  eye,  that  he  was  thoroughly  amused 
His  companion  v.ds  not  to  be  trifled  with,  and  he 
vas  read)  to  abandon  the  point. 

"  Come,  Harry,  it's  no  use  for  us  to  quarrel,"  he 
added,  with  a  forced  smile. 

"  1  know  that  ;   but  1  won't  be  trod  upon  by  you, 
m}  booN  else." 
'  I  don't  want  to  tread  on  you." 

''Yes,  you  do;  you  needn't  think  you  are  going 
to  lord  it  over  me  in  that  way.  I  will  go  back  to 
the  poorhouse  first." 

"  Let's  be  friends  again,  Harry.  Throw  down 
your  club." 

"  Yes,  and  let  you  lick  me  then  !    No,  you  don't !  " 

"  1  won't  touch  you,  Harry ;  upon  my  word  and 
honor,  I  won't." 

"  Humph  !  Your  word  and  honor  ain't  worth 
much.  I'll  go  back,  if  you'll  behave  yourself;  but 
I  shall  keep  the  club  handy." 

"  Any  way  you  like  ;  but  let  us  be  off." 

Ben  changed  his  tone,  and  condescended  to  tell 
Harry  what  he  meant  to  do,  even  at  the  sacrifice  (J 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    7VEST.  6? 

his  dignity  as  commander  of  the  expedition.  An 
appearance  at  least  of  good  feeling  was  restored,  and 
after  breakfasting  on  their  bread  and  cheese,  they 
embarked  again,  on  what  now  promised  to  be  a  peril- 
ous voyage. 

For  a  quarter  of  a  mile  below,  the  bed  of  the  nar- 
row river  was  spotted  with  rocks,  among  which  the 
water  dashed  with  a  fury  that  threatened  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  frail  bark.  For  a  time  they  seriously 
debated  the  question  of  abandoning  the  project,  Har- 
ry proposing  to  penetrate  the  woods  in  a  north-east- 
erly direction.  Ben,  however,  could  not  abandon  the 
prospect  of  sailing  leisurely  down  the  river  when 
they  had  passed  the  rapids,  making  the»passage  with- 
out any  exertion.  He  was  not  pleased  with  the  idea 
of  trudging  along  on  foot  for  thirty  miles,  v>hen  the 
river  would  bear  them  to  the  city  with  only  a  little 
difficulty  occasionally  at  the  rapids  and  snoal  places. 
Pei haps  his  plan  would  have  been  practicable  at  the 
highest  stage  of  water,  but  the  river  w;  s  now  below 

ts  ordinary  level. 
Hen's   love  of  an  easy  and  '•om^ntr1  time  carried 

he  duy,  and  Harry's  practical  common  sense  reason' 


68  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OB,    THE    TRIALS 

ing  was  of  no  avail,  and  a  taunt  at  his  cowardice 
induced  him  to  yield  the  point. 

"  Now,  Harry,  you  take  one  of  the  paddles,  and 
place  yourself  in  the  bow,  while  I  steer,"  said  Ben, 
as  he  assumed  his  position. 

"  Very  well ;  you  shall  be  captain  of  the  boat,  and 
I  will  do  just  as  you  say  ;  but  I  won't  be  bullied  on 
ghore,"  replied  Harry,  taking  the  station  assigned 
him. 

"  All  right ;  now  cast  off  the  painter,  and  let  hei 
slide.     Keep  both  eyes  open." 

"  Never  fear  me ;   I  will  do  my  share." 

The  boat  floated  out  into  the  current,  and  was 
borne  rapidly  down  the  swift-flowing  stream.  They 
■"vere  not  very  skilful  boatmen,  and  it  was  more  a 
matter  of  tact  than  of  strength  to  keep  the  boat  from 
dashing  on  the  sharp  rocks.  For  a  little  way,  they 
did  very  well,  though  the  passage  was  sufficiently  ex- 
citing to  call  their  powers  into  action,  and  to  suggest 
%  doubt  as  to  the  ultimate  result  of  the  venture. 

They  soon  reached  a  place,  however,  where  the? 
river  turned  a  sharp  angle,  and  the  waters  were  furi- 
ously precipitated  down  upon  a  bed  of  rocks,  which 
threatened  them  with  instant  destruction. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  oS 

"  We  shall  be  smashed  to  pieces  !  "  exclaimed  the 
foolhardy  pilot,  as  his  eye  measured  the  descent  or 
the  waters.     "  Let's  try  to  get  ashore." 

"  Too  late  now,"  replied  Harry,  coolly.  "  Put  lie  J 
through,  hit  or  miss." 

But  Ben's  courage  all  oozed  out,  in  the  face  of  this 
imminent  peril,  and  he  made  a  vain  attempt  to  push 
the  boat  towards  the  shore. 

"  Paddle  your  end  round,  Harry,"  gasped  Ben,  in 
the  extremity  of  fear.  "  We  shall  be  smashed  to 
pieces." 

"  Too  late,  Ben  ;  stand  stiff,  and  make  the  best  of 
it,"  answered  Harry,  as  he  braced  himself  to  meet 
the  shock. 

The  rushing  waters  bore  the  boat  down  the  stream 
in  spite  of  the  feeble  efforts  of  the  pilot  to  check  he? 
progress.  Ben  seemed  to  have  lost  all  his  self-pos- 
session, and  stooped  down,  holding  on  with  both 
hands  at  the  gunwale. 

])own  she  went  into  the  boiling  caldron  of  wateis 
t oaring  and  foaming  like  a  little  Niagara.  One  hara 
bump  on  the  sharp  rocks,  and  Harry  heard  the  boards 
snap  under  him.     He  waited  for  no  more,  bu'   grasp- 


70  thy  again;    or,  the  trials 

ing  the  overhanging  branches  of  a  willow,  which  grew 
on  the  bank,  and  upon  which  he  had  before  fixed  his 
eyes  as  the  means  of  rescuing  himself,  he  sprang  up 
into  the  tree,  and  saw  Ben  tumbled  from  the  boat 
into  the  seething  caldron. 

"  Save  me,  Harry  !  "   shouted  Ben. 

But  Harry  had  to  save  himself  first,  which,  how- 
ever, was  not  now  a  difficult  matter.  Swinging  him- 
self from  branch  to  branch  till  he  reached  the  trunk 
of  the  willow,  he  descended  to  the  ground,  without 
having  even  wet  the  soles  of  his  shoes. 

"  Save  me  !  save  me!"  cried  Ben,  in  piteous  ac- 
cents, as  the  current  bore  him  down  the  stream. 

"  Hold  on  to  the  boat,"  replied  Harry,  "and  I  will 
be  there  in  a  minute." 

Seizing  a  long  pole  which  had  some  time  formed 
part  of  a  fence  there,  he  hastened  down  the  bank  to 
the  water's  edge.  The  water  was  not  very  deep, 
but  it  ran  so  rapidly  that  Ben  could  neither  swim 
nor  stand  upon  the  bottom ;  and  but  for  his  compan- 
ion's promptness,  he  would  undoubtedly  have  been 
drowned.  Grasping  the  long  pole  which  Harry  ex< 
tended  to   him,  he  was  drawn  to  the  shore,  having 


AND    TKITTMPHS    OF    HARKV    WEST.  7\ 

received  no  other  injury  than  a  terrible  fright  and  a 
good  ducking. 

"  Here  we  are,"  said  Harry,  when  his  companion 
was  safely  landed. 

"Yes,  here  we  are,"  growled  Ben;  "and  it  is  all 
your  fault  that  we  are  here." 

"  It  is  my  fault  that  you  are  here  ;  for  if  I  had  not 
pulled  you  out  of  the  river,  you  would  have  been 
drowned,"  replied  Harry,  indignantly ;  and  perhaps 
he  felt  a  little  sorry  just  then  that  he  had  rescued 
his  ungrateful  commander. 

"  Yes,  and  if  you  had  only  done  as  I  told  you,  and 
pushed  for  the  shore  above  the  fall,  all  this  would  not 
have  happened." 

"And  if  you  hadn't  been  a  fool,  we  should  nit 
have  tried  to  go  through  such  a  hole.  There  goes 
your  old  boat;"  and  Harry  pointed  to  the  wreck, 
filled  with  water,  floating  down  the  stream. 

"  Here  they  are  !  "  shouted  a  voice,  not  far  from 
them. 

Harry  started,  and  so  did  Ben. 

"  We  are  caught  !  "   exclaimed  Ben. 

"No"   yet,"  replied   Harry,  with  some  trepidation* 


72  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

as  fie  broke  off  a  piece  of  the  pole  that  lay  at  his  feet, 
and  retreated  from  the  river.  "  Take  a  club,  for  I 
am  not  going  to  be  carried  back  without  fighting 
foi    it." 

A  survey  of  the  ground  and  of  the  pursuers  ena- 
bled him  to  prepare  for  the  future.  He  discovered 
at  a  glance  the  weakness  of  the  assailants. 

"  Take  a  club,  Ben.  Don't  you  see  there  is  only 
one  man  on  this  side  of  the  river  ?  and  we  can  easily 
beat  him  off." 

Ben  took  the  club  ;  but  he  seemed  not  to  have  the 
energy  to  use  it.  In  fact,  Harry  showed  himself  bet- 
ter qualified  to  manage  the  present  interests  of  the 
expedition  than  his  companion.  .  All  at  once  he  de- 
veloped the  attributes  of  a  skilful  commander,  while 
his  confederate  seemed  to  have  lost  all  his  cunning 
and  all  his  determination. 

"  Now,  let  us  run ;  and  if  we  are  caught  we  wiU 
fcght  for  it,"  said  Harry. 

'lhi  boys  took  to  their  heels,  and  having  a  fail  start 
of  their  pursuer,  they  kept  clear  of  him  for  a  con- 
siderable distance ;  but  Ben's  wet  clothes  impeded 
his  progress,  and  Harry  had  too  much  magnanimity 
to  save  himself  at  the  sacrifice  of  his  companion. 


AND    TRIUMTHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  73 

It  was  evident,  after  the  chase  had  continued  a  short 
time,  that  their  pursuer  was  gaining  upon  them.  In 
rain  Harry  urged  Ben  to  increase  his  speed ;  his 
pn  gress  was  very  slow,  and  it  was  soon  apparent  to 
Hairy  that  they  were  wasting  their  breath  in  running 
when  they  would  need  it  for  the  fight. 

"  Now,  Ben,  we  can  easily  whip  this  man,  and  save 
ourselves.  Be  a  man,  and  let  us  stand  by  each  othei 
to  the  last." 

Ben  made  no  reply ;  but  when  Harry  stopped,  he 
did  the  same. 

"Keep  off!  or  we  will  knock  your  brains  out," 
crk'd  Harry,  placing  himself  in  the  attitude  of  defence 

But  the  man  took  no  notice  of  this  piece  of  brava- 
do ;  and,  as  he  approached,  Harry  levelled  a  blow  at 
his  head.  The  man  warded  it  off,  and  sprang  forward 
to  grasp  the  little  rebel. 

"  Hit  him,  Ben ! "  shouted  Harry,  as  he  dodged 
the  swoop  of  his  assailant. 

To  his  intense  indignation  and  disgust,  Ben,  instead 
of  seconding  his  assault,  dropped  his  club,  and  fled. 
lie  seemed  to  run  a  good  deal  faster  than  he  had  run 
before  that  day  ;  but  Harry  did  not  give  up  the  point 


74  TRY    AGAIN  4     OR,    THE    TIUAL8 

The  man  pressed  him  closely,  and  he  defended  ninif 
self  with  a  skill  and  vigor  worthy  a  better  cause 
Hut  it  war  of  no  use  ;  or,  if  it  was,  it  only  gave  Ben 
men  time  to  effect  his  escape. 

The  unequal  contest,  however,  soon  termirated  in 
the  capture  of  our  resolute  hero,  and  the  man  tied 
his  hands  behind  his  back  ;  but  he  did  not  dare  to 
.'eave  the  young  lion  to  go  in  pursuit  of  his  less  un- 
fortunate, but  more  guilty,  confederate. 

"  There,  Master  Harry  West,  I  think  you  have  got 
into  a  tight  place  now,"  said  his  captor,  whose  name 
was  Nathan  Leman,  brother  of  the  person  to  whom 
the  boat  belonged.  "  We  will  soon  put  you  in  a 
place  where  you  won't  burn  any  more  barns." 

Harry  was  confounded  at  this  charge,  and  promptly 
and  indignantly  denied  it.  He  had  not  considered 
the  possibility  of  being  accused  of  such  a  crime,  and 
it  seemed  to  put  a  new  aspect  upon  his  case. 

"  You  did  not  set  fire  to  Squire  Walker's  barn  last 
night  ?  "  replied  Leman,  incredulously. 

"  No,  I  did  not." 

"  Pei haps  you  can  make  ^he  squire  believe  it,* 
sneered  his  captor. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  7fi 

M  I  didn't  do  it." 

"  Didn't  steal  my  brother's  boat  either,  did  you?" 

u  /  didn't." 

"  Who  did  ?  " 

Harry  thought  a  moment.  After  the  mean  trick 
which  Ben  Smart  had  served  him,  he  did  not  feel 
very  kindly  towards  him,  but  he  was  not  yet  prepared 
to  betray  him. 

"  I  didn't,"  was  his  reply. 

Nathan  Leman  then  conducted  his  prisoner  to  the 
river's  side.  By  this  time  the  other  pursuer,  who 
had  been  obliged  to  ascend  the  river  for  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  before  he  could  cross,  joined  him. 

"  Where  is  the  other  fellow  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Couldn't  catch  him.  This  one  fought  like  a 
young  tiger,  and  I  couldn't  leave  him,"  replied  Na- 
than. "  If  you  will  take  Harry  up  to  the  village,  \ 
will  soon  have  him." 

The  other  assented,  and  while  Nathan  wont  in 
eearch  of  Ben,  Harry  was  conducted  back  tc  ihe 
village. 

The  prisoner  was  sad  and  depressed  in  spirits;  but 
tie  did  not  lose  all  hope.     He  was  appalled  at  the 


76  try  again;   or,  the  trials 

idea  of  being  accused  of  burning  tbe  barn ;  but  Le 
was  innocent,  and  had  a  vague  assurance  tbat  no 
harm  could  befall  him  on  that  account. 

When  they  entered  the  village,  a  crowd  gathered 
around  them,  eager  to  learn  the  particulars  of  the 
capture ;  but  without  pausing  to  gratify  this  curiosi- 
ty, Harry's  conductor  lrd  him  to  the  poor  house,  and 
placed  bim  in  charge  of  Mr.  Naaon. 


*WD    TP-JUAtrjiS    Of    HARRY    WEST.  71 


CHAPTER    Vi. 

.H     «VH7r;h    HARRY    CONCLUDES    THAT    k    DEFEAT    Ii 
SOMETIMES    BETTER    THAN*    A    VICTORY. 

The  keeper  of  the  poorhouse  received  Harry  in 
sullen  silence,  and  conducted  him  to  the  chamber  in 
which  he  had  been  ordered  to  keep  him  a  close 
prisoner.  He  had  apparently  lost  all  confidence  in 
him,  and  regretted  that  he  had  connived  at  his 
escape. 

Harry  did  not  like  the  cold  and  repulsive  deport- 
ment of  his  late  friend.  Mr.  Nason  had  always  been 
kind  to  him ;  now  he  seemed  to  have  fallen  in  with 
Squire  Walker's  plans,  and  was  willing  to  be  the 
instrument  of  the  overseer's  narrow  and  cruel  policy. 
Before,  he  had  taken  his  part  against  the  mighty,  so 
far  as  it  was  prudent  for  him  to  do  so  ;  now,  he  was 
willing  to  go  over  to  the  enemy. 

This  reverse  made  him  sadder  than  any  other  cir 
7* 


78  TRY    AGAIN;    OR,    THB    TU1AL3 

cumstance  of  his  return  —  sadder  than  the  fear  of 
punishment,  or  even  of  being  sent  to  live  with  Jacob 
Wire. 

"I've  get  back  again,"  said  Harry,  when  th<  y 
reached  the  chamber  in  which  he  was  to  be  confined. 

"  I  see  you  have,"  replied  Mr.  Nason,  in  freezing 
tones. 

The  keeper  had  never  spoken  to  him  in  9.:rh 
tones,  and  Harry  burst  into  tears.  His  only  riend 
had  deserted  him,  and  he  felt  more  desolate  than 
ever  before  in  his  life. 

"  You  needn't  cry,  now,"  said  Mr.  Nason,  sternly. 

"  I  can't  help  it,"  sobbed  the  little  prisoner. 

*'  Can't  you  ?  " 

Mr.  Nason  sneered  as  he  spoke,  and  his  sreer 
pierced  the  heart  of  Harry. 

"  O  Mr.  Nason  !  " 

"  There  —  that  will  do.  You  needn't  bL.bbcr  any 
aiore.  You  have  n.ade  jvur  bed,  fad  now  you  ran 
lie  in  it  ; "  and  the  keeper  turned  on  his  heel  to 
eave  the  room. 

"  Don't  leave  me  yet,"  pleaded  Harry. 

"  Leave    you  ?     What    do    you    want    of   me  ?     I 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  7t 

luppose  you  want  to  tell  me  I  advised  you  to  burn 
the  barn." 

"I  didn't  set  the  barn  afire !"  exclaimed  Harry, 
now  for  the  first  time  realizing  the  cause  of  his 
friend's  displeasure. 

"  Don't  lie." 

"  I  speak  the  truth.  I  did  not  set  it  afire,  or  even 
know  that  it  was  going  to  be  set  on  fire." 

Mr.  Nason  closed  the  door  which  he  had  opened 
to  depart.  The  firm  denial,  as  well  as  the  tone  and 
manner  of  the  boy,  arrested  his  judgment  against 
him.  He  had  learned  to  place  implicit  confidence  in 
Harry's  word  ;  for  though  he  might  have  told  lies 
to  others,  he  never  told  them  to  him. 

"  Who  did  burn  the  barn  r "  asked  the  keeper, 
locking  sternly  into  the  eye  of  the  culprit. 

Harry  hesitated.  A  sense  of  honor  and  magna- 
nimity pervaded  his  soul.  He  had  obtained  some 
f:ilse  notions ;  and  he  did  not  understand  that  he 
could  hardly  be  false  to  one  who  had  been  false  to 
himself  —  that  to  help  a  criminal  conceal  his  cr'*ne 
was  to  onspire  against  the  peace  and  happiness  of 
his  fellow-beings.     Shabbily  as   lien  Smart  had  used 


80  try  again;   or,  the  trials 

him,  he  could  not  at  once  make  up  his  mind  to  be* 
<ray  him. 

"  You  don't  answer,"  added  Mr.  Nason. 

"  I  didn't  do  it." 

"  Rut  who  did  ?  " 

"  I  don't  like  to  tell." 

"  Very  well ;  you  can  do  as  you  like.  After  what 
\  had  done  for  you,  it  was  a  little  strange  that  you 
should  do  as  you  have." 

"  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it,  Mr.  Nason,  if  you 
will  promise  not  to  tell." 

"  I  know  all  about  it.  You  and  I5en  Smart  put 
your  heads  together  to  be  revenged  on  the  squire ; 
you  set  his  barn  afire,  and  then  stole  Leman's  beat." 

"  No,  sir ;  I  didn't  set  the  barn  afire,  nor  steal 
the  boat,  nor  help  to  do  either." 

"  You  and  he  were  together." 

'•  We  were ;  and  if  it  wasn't  for  being  mean  to 
lien,  I   would  tell  you  all  about  it." 

"  Mean  to  Ben  !  As  soon  as  it  was  known  that 
you  and  Ben  were  missing,  every  body  in  the  village 
knew  who  set  the  barn  afire.  All  you  have  got  to 
do  is  to  clear  yourself,  if  you  can ;  Ben  is  condemned 
already." 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  81 

*'  If  you  will  hear  my  story  1  will  tell  you  all 
ab)ut   it." 

Harry  proceeded  to  narrate  every  thing  that  had 
occurred  since  he  left  the  house  on  the  preceding 
night.  It  was  a  very  clear  and  plausible  statement. 
He  ans  vcred  all  the  questions  which  Mr  Nason  pro- 
posed with  promptness,  and  his  replies  were  con- 
nistent. 

"  I  believe  you,  Harry,"  said  the  keeper,  when  he 
had  finished  his  examination.  "  Somehow  I  couldn't 
believe  you  would  do  such  a  thing  as  set  the  squire's 
barn  afire." 

"  I  wouldn't,"  replied  Harry,  warmly,  and  much 
pleased  to  find  he  had  reestablished  the  confidence  of 
his  friend. 

"  But  it  is  a  bad  case.  The  fact  of  your  being 
with  Ben  Smart  is  almost  enough  to  convict  you." 

"  I  shouldn't  have  been  with  him,  if  I  had  known 
be  set  the  barn  afire." 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  can  dc  any  thing  for  you, 
Harry  ;  but  I  will  try." 

"  Thank  you." 

Mr.  Nason  left  him,  and  Harry  had  an  opportunity 


82  THY     AGAIN,     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

to  consider  the  desperate  circumstances  of  his  pos: 
tiun.  It  looked  just  as  though  he  should  he  sen' 
to  the  house  of  correction,  But  he  was  innocent. 
Ue  felt  his  innocence;  as  he  expressed  it  to  the 
deeper  afterwards,  he  "  felt  it  in  his  hones."  It  did 
not,  on  further  consideration,  seem  prohable  that  he 
would  be  punished  for  doing  what  he  had  not  done, 
either  as  principal  or  accessory.  A  vague  idea  of 
an  all-pervading  justice  consoled  him;  and  he  soon 
reasoned  himself  into  a  firm  assurance  that  he  should 
escape  unharmed. 

He  was  in  the  mood  for  reasoning  ju'.t  then  — 
perhaps  because  he  had  nothing  better  to  do,  or  per- 
haps because  the  added  experience  of  the  last  twenty- 
four  hours  enabled  him  to  reason  better  than  before. 
His  fine  scheme  of  getting  to  Boston,  and  there 
making  a  rich  and  great  man  of  himself,  had  signaliy 
failed.     He  did  not  give  it  up,  however. 

"  1  have  failed  once,  but  I  will  try  again,"  said  he 
to  himself,  as  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter; 
»n  I  he  picked  up  an  old  school  book  which  lay  on 
the  tahle. 

The  book  contained  a  story,  which   he  had  often 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  83 

tead,  aloat  a  man  who  had  met  with  a  long  list  of 
misfortunes,  as  he  deemed  them  when  they  occurred 
but  which  proved  to  be  blessings  in  disguise. 

"  Oft  from  apparent  ills  our  blessings  rise. 
Act  well  your  part ;  there  all  the  honor  lies." 

This  couplet  from  the  school  books  came  to  his  aid, 
also  ;  and  he  proceeded  to  make  an  application  of 
this  wisdom  to  his  own  mishaps. 

"  Suppose  I  had  gone  on  with  Ben.  He  is  a  mis- 
erable fellow,"  thought  Harry  ;  "  he  would  bave  led 
me  into  all  manner  of  wickedness.  I  ought  not  to 
have  gone  with  him,  or  had  any  thing  to  do  with 
him.  He  might  have  made  a  thief  and  a  robber  of 
me.  I  know  I  ain't  any  better  than  I  should  be ; 
but  I  don't  believe  I'm  as  bad  as  he  is.  At  any 
rate,  I  wouldn't  set  a  barn  afire.  It  is  all  for  the 
best,  just  as  the  parson  says  when  any  body  dies 
By  this  scrape  I  have  got  clear  of  Ben,  and  learned 
a  lesson  that  I  won't  forget  in  a  hurry." 

Uarry  was  satisfied  with  this  logic,  and  really 
believed  that  something  which  an  older  and  more 
devout    person    would    have    regarded    as    a    special 


84  TRY    AGAIX  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

providence  had  interposed  to  save  him  from  a  life 
of  infamy  and  wickedness.  It  was  a  blessed  experi- 
ence, and  his  thoughts  were  very  serious  and  earnest. 

In  the  afternoon,  Squire  Walker  came  down  to 
the  pcorhouse  to  subject  Harry  to  a  preliminary  ex- 
amination. Ben  Smart  had  not  been  taken,  and  the 
pursuers  had  abandoned  the  chase. 

"  Boy,"  said  the  squire,  when  Harry  was  brought 
before  him  ;   "  look  at  me." 

Harry  looked  at  the  overseer  with  all  his  might. 
He  had  got  far  enough  to  despise  the  haughty  little 
great  man.  A  taste  of  freedom  had  enlarged  his 
ideas  and  developed  his  native  independence,  so  tbat 
he  did  not  quail,  as  the  squire  intended  he  should ; 
on  the  contrary,  his  eyes  snapped  with  the  earnest- 
ness  of  his  gaze.  With  an  honest  and  just  man,  hia 
unflinching  eye  would  have  been  good  evidence  in 
his  favor  ;  but  the  pompous  overseer  wished  to  aiva 
him,  rather  than  get  at  the  simple  truth. 

"  You  set  my  barn  on  fire,"  continued  the  squire. 

"  T  did  not,"  replied  Harry,  firmly. 

"  Yes,  you  did.      How  dare  you  deny  it  ?  " 

«•  I  did  not." 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    EAEET    WEST.  8* 

He  had  often  read,  and  heard  read,  that  passage 
of  Scriptuie  which  says,  "  Let  your  communications 
he  Yea,  yea,  Nay,  nay ;  for  whatsoever  is  more  than 
these  cometh  of  evil."'  Just  then  he  felt  the  truth 
of  the  inspired  axiom.  It  seemed  just  as  though  any 
amount  of  violent  protestations  would  not  help  him  ; 
and  though  the  squire  repeated  the  charge  half  a 
dozen  times,  he  only  replied  with  his  firm  and  simple 
denial. 

Then  Squire  "Walker  called  his  hired  man,  upon 
whose  evidence  he  depended  for  the  conviction  of 
the  little  incendiary. 

"  Is  that  the  hoy,  John  ?  "  asked  the  squire,  point- 
ing to  Harry. 

"  No,  sir ;  it  was  a  bigger  boy  than  that,"  replied 
John,  without  hesitation. 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  " 

"  O,  very  sure." 

"  It  must  be  that  this  is  the  boy,"  persisted  the 
vquire,  evidently  much  disappointed  by  the  testimony 
of  the  man. 

"  I  am  certain  it  was  a  bigger  boy  than  this." 

"  I  feel  pretty  clear  about  it,  Mr.  Nason,"  added 
8 


86  TRY    AGAIlN  :    OR.    THE    TRIAL8 

the  squire.  "  You  see,  tiiis  boy  was  mad,  yesterday, 
because  i  wanted  to  send  him  to  Jacob  Wire's.  My 
barn  is  burned,  and  it  stands  to  reason  he  burned  it," 

"  But  I  saw  the  boy  round  the  barn  night  afore 
last,"  interposed  John,  who  was  certainly  better 
qualified  to  be  a  justice  of  the  peace  han  his  em- 
ployer. 

"I  know  that;  but  the  barn  wasn't  burned  till 
last  night." 

"  But  Harry  couldn't  have  had  any  grudge  against 
you  night  before  last,"  said  Mr.  Xason. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  mused  the  squire,  who 
was  apparently  trying  to  reconcile  the  facts  to  hia 
theorj ,  rather  than  the  theory  to  the  facts. 

John,  the  hired  man,  lived  about  three  miles  from 
the  squire's  house.  His  father  was  very  sick  ;  and 
he  had  been  home  every  evening  for  a  week,  return- 
ing between  ten  and  eleven.  On  the  night  preceding 
the  fire,  he  had  seen  a  boy  prowling  round  the  barn, 
who  ran  away  at  his  approach.  The  next  day,  he 
found  a  pile  of  withered  grass,  dry  sticks,  and  other 
rombustibles  heaped  against  a  loose  board  in  the  side 
:>f  the  barn.      He   had   informed    the    squire  of   tbfl 


AND    TRIUMTIIS    OF    IIAURY    WEST.  8? 

facts ,  but  the  worthy  justice  did  not  consider  them 
of  much  moment. 

Probably  Ben  had  intended  to  burn  the  barn  tlmn, 
tut  had  been  prevented  from  executing  his  purpose 
by  the  approach  of  the  hired  man. 

"This  must  be  the  boy,"  added  the  squire. 

"  lie  had  on  a  sack  coat,  and  was  bigger  than  this 
boy,"  replied  John. 

"  Harry  has  no  sack  coat,"  put  in  Mr.  Xason, 
eagerly  catching  at  this  evidence. 

"  It  is  easy  to  be  mistaken  in  the  night.  Search 
him,  and  see  if  there  are  any  matches  about  him." 

Undoubtedly  this  was  a  very  brilliant  suggestion 
of  the  squire's  muddy  intellect  —  as  though  every 
man  who  carried  matches  was  necessarily  an  incen- 
diary. Rut  no  matches  were  found  upon  Harry ; 
and,  according  to  the  intelligent  justice's  perception 
:>f  the  nature  of  evidence,  the  suspected  party  should 
nave  been  acquitted. 

No  matches  were  found  on  Harry;  but  in  his 
acket  pocket,  carefully  enclosed  in  a  piece  of  brown 
paper,  «*cre  found  the  four  quarters  of  a  doilar  ?iveu 
to  him  by  Mr.  Nason. 


88  TRY    AGAIN;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

"Where  did  you  get  those?"  asked  the  squire, 
iternly. 

"They  W3re  given  to  me,"  replied  Harry. 

Mr.  Nason  averted  his  eyes,  and  was  very  uneasy. 
The  fact  of  having  given  this  money  to  Harry  went 
to  show  that  he  had  been  privy  to  his  escape ;  and 
his  kind  act  seemed  to  threaten  him  with  ruin. 

"  Who  gave  them  to  you  ? " 

Harry  made  no  reply. 

"  Answer  me,"  thundered  the  squire. 

"  I  shall  not  tell,"  replied  Harry. 

"  You  shall  not  ?  " 

"  No,  sir." 

The  squire  was  nonplussed.  The  boy  was  as  firm 
as  a  hero  ;  and  no  threats  could  induce  him  to  betray 
his  kind  friend,  whose  position  he  fully  compre- 
hended. 

**  We  will  see,"  roared  the  squire. 

Several  persons  who  had  been  present  during  the 
examination,  and  who  were  satisfied  that  Harry  was 
innocent  of  the  crime  charged  upon  him,  interfered 
to  save  him  from  the  consequences  of  thf  squ-re's 
wrath. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAItRY    WEST.  &» 

Mr.  Xason,  finding  that  his  young  friend  was 
likely  to  suffer  for  his  magnanimity,  explained  the 
matter  —  thus  turning  the  squire's  anger  'rom  the 
toy  to  himself. 

"So  you  helped  the  boy  run  away  —  did  you  ?  *' 
said  the  overseer. 

"  He  did  not ;  he  told  me  that  money  would  keep 
me  from  starving." 

"  Did  he  ?  " 

Those  present  understood  the  allusion,  and  the 
squire  did  not  press  the  matter  any  further.  In  the 
course  of  the  examination,  Ben  Smart  had  often  been 
alluded  to,  and  the  crime  was  fastened  upon  him. 
Harry  told  his  story,  which,  confirmed  by  the  evi- 
dence of  the  hired  man,  was  fully  credited  by  all 
except  the  squire,  who  had  conceived  a  violent  an- 
tipathy to  the  boy. 

The  examination  was  informal  ;  the  squire  did  nol 
hold  it  as  a  justice  of  the  peace,  but  only  as  a  citi- 
zen, or,  at  most,  as  an  overseer  of  the  poor.  How- 
ever, it  proved  thut,  as  the  burning  of  the  barn  had 
Deen  planned  before  any  difficulty  had  o«curred  be- 
8* 


90  TRV    AfiAIX;    OR,    THE    TRIALS 

twccn   the   squire  and   Hair)',  he  had  no  mothe  foi 

doing  the  deed. 

The    squire  was    not   satisfied :    hut   the   worst  he 
1  • 

could  do  was  to  commit  Harry  to  the  care  of  Jacob 
Wire,  which  was  immediately  done. 

"  I  am  sorry  for  you,  Harry,"  whispered  Mr. 
Nason. 

">Jever  mind;  I  shall  fry  again"  he  repl'.d,  ae 
he  jumped  into  the  wagon  with  his  persecutor. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    Of     HAKRY    'WEST.  91 


CHAPTER    VII. 

IN      WHICH     HARRY     FINDS     HIMSELF     IN     A     TIGH1 
1  IACE,    AND    EXECUTES    A    COUNTER    MOVEMENT. 

"  Jacob,  here  is  the  boy,"  said  Squire  Walker,  as 
he  stopped  his  horse  in  front  of  an  old,  decayed 
house. 

Jacob  Wire  was  at  work  in  his  garden,  by  the  side 
oe  the  house ;  and  when  the  squire  spoke,  he  straight- 
ened his  back,  regarding  Harry  with  a  look  of  min- 
gled curiosity  and  distrust.  He  evidently  did  not 
like  his  appearance.  He  looked  as  though  he  would 
eat  too  much ;  and  to  a  man  as  mean  as  Jacob,  this 
was  the  sum  total  of  all  enormities.  Besides,  the  little 
pauper  had  earned  a  bad  reputation  within  the  pre- 
ceding twenty- four  hours,  and  his  new  master  glanced 
uneasily  at  his  barn,  and  then  at  the  boy,  as  though 
he  deemed  it  unsafe  to  have  such  a  desperate  charac« 
tei  about  his  premises. 


ti2  thy  again;   op.  the  trials 

"He  is  a  hard  boy,  Jacob,  and  will  need  a  little 
taming.  They  fed  him  too  high  at  the  poorhoue*,'' 
continued  the  squire. 

"  That  spiles  boys,"  replied  Jacob,  solemnly. 

"  So  it  does." 

"  So,  this  is  the  boy  that  burnt  your  barn  ?  " 

"  Well.  I  don't  know.  I  rather  think  it  was  the 
Smart  boy.  Perhaps  he  knew  about  it,  though  ;  "  and 
the  squire  proceeded  to  give  his  brother-in-law  the 
particulars  of  the  informal  examination ;  for  Jacob 
Wire,  who  could  hardly  afford  to  lie  still  on  Sundays, 
much  less  other  days,  had  not  been  up  to  the  vil- 
lage to  hear  the  news. 

"  You  must  be  pretty  sharp  with  him,"  said  the 
overseer,  in  conclusion.  "  Keep  your  eye  on  him  all 
the  time,  for  we  may  want  him  again,  as  soon  as  they 
can  catch  the  other  boy." 

Jacob  promised  to  do  the  best  he  could  with  Harrj 
whe,  during  the  interview,  had  maintained  a  sullen 
6ilence  ;   and  the  squire  departed,  assured  that  he  had 
done  hie  whole  duty  to  the  public  and  to  the  little 
pauper. 

"  Well,  boy,  it  is  about  sundown  now,  and  I  guesi 


AND    IKTt'MPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  93 

wp  will  go  in  and  get  some  supper  before  we  do  an^ 
Store.  But  let  me  tell  you  beforehand,  you  must 
walk  pretty  straight  here,  or  you  will  fare  hard." 

Harry  vouchsafed  no  reply  to  this  speech,  and  fol- 
lowed Jacob  into  the  house.  His  first  meal  at  his 
new  place  confirmed  all  he  had  heard  about  the  penu- 
riousness  of  his  master.  There  was  very  little  to  eat 
on  the  table,  but  Mrs.  "Wire  gave  him  the  poorest 
there  was  —  a  hard  crust  of  brown  bread,  a  cold 
potato,  and  a  dish  of  warm  water  with  a  very  little 
molasses  and  milk  in  it,  which  he  was  expected  to 
imagine  was  tea. 

Harry  felt  no  disposition  to  eat.  He  was  too  sad 
and  depressed,  and  probably  if  the  very  best  had  been 
Bet  before  him,  he  would  have  been  equally  indif- 
ferent. 

He  ate  very  little,  and  Jacob  felt  more  kindly  to- 
wards him  than  before  this  proof  of  the  smallness  of 
his  appetite.  He  had  been  compelled  to  get  rid  of 
his  last  boy,  because  he  was  a  little  ogre,  and  it 
neemed  as  though  he  would  eat  him  out  of  house  and 
aome. 

After  supper  Harry  assisted  Jacob  about  the  barn. 


94      try  again;  ok,  the  trials 

anil  it  was  nearly  eight  o'clock  before  they  fin 
ihhed. 

"  Now,  boy,  it  is  about  bed  time,  and  I  will  sho^l 
you  your  rooms,  if  you  like,"  suid  Jacob.  "  Before 
you  go,  let  me  tell  you  it  won't  do  any  good  to  try 
to  run  away  from  here,  for  1  am  going  to  borrow 
Leman's  bull-dog." 

Harry  made  no  reply  to  this  remark,  and  followed 
his  master  to  the  low  attic  of  the  house,  where  ho 
was  pointed  to  a  rickety  bedstead,  which  he  was  to 
occupy. 

"  There,  jump  into  bed  afore  I  carry  the  candle 
off,"  continued  Jacob. 

"  I  don't  care  about  any  light.  You  needn't 
wait,"  replied  Harry,  as  he  slipped  off  his  shoes  and 
stockings. 

"  That  is  right;  boys  always  ought  to  be  learnt  to 
go  to  bed  in  the  dark,"  added  Jacob,  as  he  departed. 

But  Harry  was  determined  not  to  go  to  bed  in  the 
lark  ;  so,  as  soon  as  he  heard  Jacob's  step  on  the 
floor  below,  he  crept  to  the  stairway,  and  silently  de- 
scended. He  had  made  up  his  mind  not  to  wait  foi 
tl«    bull-dog.      Pausing  in  the  entry,  he  heard  Jacol 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HA  It  It  Y    WEST.  9» 

tell  his  wife  that  he  was  going  over  to  Leman's  to 
borrow  his  dog  ;  he  was  afraid  the  boy  would  get  up 
in  the  night  and  set  his  barn  on  fire,  or  run  away. 
Jacob  then  loft  the  house,  satisfied,  no  doubt,  that  the 
bull-dog  would  be  an  efficient  sentinel  while  the  fam- 
il\  were  asleep. 

After  allowing  time  enough  to  elapse  for  Jacob  to 
reach  Leman's  house,  he  softly  opened  the  front  dooi 
and  went  out.  It  was  fortunate  for  him  that  Mrs. 
Wire  was  as  "  deaf  as  a  post,"  or  his  suddenly  ma- 
tured plan  tc  "  try  again  "  might  have  been  a  failuie. 
As  it  was,  h:g  departure  was  not  observed.  It  was 
quite  dark,  and  after  he  bad  got  a  short  distance  from 
the  bouse,  he  felt  a  reasonable  degree  of  security. 

His  first  purpose  was  to  get  as  far  away  from  Red- 
field  as  possible,  before  the  daylight  should  come  tc 
betray  him  ;  and,  taking  the  road,  he  walked  as  fast 
as  his  legs  would  carry  him  towards  Boston.  Jacob's 
house  was  on  the  turnpike,  which  was  the  direct  roaj 
to  the  city,  and  the  distance  which  the  squire  bad 
rarried  him  in  his  wagon  was  so  much  clear  gain. 

He  did  not  feel  very  sentimental  now.  The  shy 
was  oversha i Dwei    with  clouds,  sc  that  he  could  aol 


06  TRY    AGAIX  ;     OR.    THE    TRIALS 

Bee  any  stirs,  ami  the  future  did  not  look  half  Ml 
bright  as  his  fancy  had  pictured  it  on  the  preceding 
night.  But  he  was  free  again;  and  free  under  more 
favorable  circumstances  than  before.  This  time  he 
was  himself  commander  of  the  expedition,  and  was  to 
suffer  for  no  one's  bad  generalship  but  his  own.  Be- 
sides, the  experience  he  had  obtained  was  almost  a 
guarantee  of  success.  It  had  taught  him  the  neces- 
sity of  care  and  prudence. 

The  moral  lesson  he  had  learned  was  of  infinitely 
more  value  than  even  the  lesson  of  policy.  For  the 
urst  time  in  his  life  he  was  conscious  of  a  deep  and 
earnest  desire  to  be  a  good  boy,  and  to  become  a  true 
man.  As  he  walked  along,  he  thought  more  of  being 
a  good  man  than  of  being  a  rich  man.  It  was  very 
natural  for  him  to  do  so,  under  the  circumstances,  foi 
he  had  come  very  near  being  punished  as  an  incendi- 
ary. The  consequences  of  doing  wrong  were  just 
then  strongly  impressed  upon  his  mind,  and  he  al- 
most shuddered  to  think  he  had  consented  to  remain 
with  Ben  Smart  after  he  knew  that  he  burned  the 
Darn.  Ah,  it  was  an  exceedingly  fortunate  thing  foi 
him  that  he  had  got  rid  of  Ben  as  he  did. 


A.SD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST  97 

For  two  hours  he  walked  as  fast  as  he  could,  paus- 
ing now  and  then  to  listen  for  the  sound  of  any  ap- 
proaching vehicle.  Possibly  Jacob  might  have  gone 
to  his  room,  or  attic,  to  see  if  he  was  safe,  and  hia 
escape  had  been  discovered.  He  could  not  be  too 
wary,  and  every  sound  that  reached  his  waiting  ear 
caused  his  heart  to  jump  with  anxiety. 

He  heard  a  clock  strike  eleven.  It  was  not  the 
Redfield  clock,  and  it  was  evident  that  he  was  ap- 
proaching Rockville,  a  factory  village,  eight  miles 
from  his  native  place.  But  his  legs  were  failing  him. 
He  was  exhausted  by  the  labors  and  the  excitement 
oJ  the  day  and  night,  and  his  strength  would  hardly 
hold  out  till  he  should  get  beyond  the  village. 

Seating  himself  on  a  rock  by  the  side  of  the  road, 
he  decided  to  hold  a  council  of  war,  to  determine 
what  should  be  done.  If  he  went  forward,  his 
strength  might  fail  him  at  the  time  when  a  vigorous 
effort  should  be  required  of  him.  Somebody's  dog 
might  bark,  and  b  ing  the  "  Philistines  upon  him." 
He  might  meet  some  late  walker,  who  would  detain 
him.  It  was  hardly  safe  for  him  to  go  through  the 
Tillage  by  night  or  day,  after  the  search  which  bad 
9 


Q&  TRY    AGAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TRIALS 

been  made  for  Ben  Smart.  People  would  be  on  th* 
lookout,  and  it  would  be  no  hard  matter  to  mistake 
him  for  <he  other  fugitive. 

On  the  other  hand,  he  did  not  like  to  pause  so  neai 
Itedfield.  He  had  scarcely  entered  upon  the  consid- 
eration of  this  side  of  the  question,  before  his  quick 
ear  detected  the  sound  of  rattling  wheels  in  the  direc- 
tion from  which  he  had  come.  His  heart  beat  vio- 
lently. It  was  Squire  Walker  and  Jacob  Wire,  ha 
was  sure,  in  pursuit  of  him ;  but  his  courage  did  not 
fail  him. 

Leaping  over  the  stone  wall  by  the  side  of  the 
road,  he  secured  the  only  retreat  which  the  vicinity 
afforded,  and  waited,  with  his  heart  in  his  throat,  foi 
the  coming  of  the  pursuers,  as  he  had  assured  him- 
self they  were.  The  present  seemed  to  be  his  only 
chance  of  escape,,  and  if  he  failed  now,  he  might  mA 
soon  have  another  opportunity  to  "  try  again." 

The  vehicle  was  approaching  at  a  furious  pace,  an-i 

as  the  noise  grew  more  distinct,  his  heart  leapt  1  the 

more  violently.     He  thought  he  recognized  the  sounc 

'"*  Squire  Walker's   wagon.     There    was    not    mucb 

-*ie  for  his  fancy  to  conjure  up  strange  things,  foi 


AND    TSIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  &S 

the  carriage  soon  reached  the  place  where  he  was 
concealed.      . 

"  Ur-r — woo  !  "  said  a  big  bull-dog,  placing  his 
ugly  nose  against  the  wall,  behind  which  Harry  «as 
lying. 

"  Whoa  !  "  added  a  voice,  which  the  trembling 
fugitive  recognized  as  that  of  George  Leman. 

"  The  dog  has  scented  him,"  said  another  —  that 
of  Jacob  Wire. 

Harry's  heart  sunk  within  him,  and  he  felt  as  faint 
as  though  every  drop  of  blood  had  been  drawn  from 
his  veins. 

"  I  knew  the  dog  would  fetch  him,"  said  George 
Leman,  as  he  leaped  from  the  wagon,  followed  by 
Jacob  Wire.      "  At  him,  Tiger  !  " 

In  obedience  to  this  command,  Tiger  drew  back  a 
few  steps,  and  then  leaped  upon  the  top  of  the  wall. 
The  prospect  of  being  torn  in  pieces  by  the  bull-dog 
was  not  pleasant  to  Harry,  and  with  a  powerful  effort 
he  summoned  his  sinking  energies  for  the  struggle 
before  him.  Grasping  two  large  stones,  he  stood 
erect  as  the  dog  leaped  on  the  wall.  Inspired  by  thtj 
imminence  of  his  peril,  he  hurled  one  of  the  stonei 


100  TRT    A(*AIN  ;     OK,    THE    TRIALS 

at  Tiger,  the  instant  he  showed  his  ugly  visage  above 
the  fence.  The  missile  took  effect  upon  the  animal, 
and  he  was  evidently  much  astonished  at  this  unusual 
mode  of  warfare.  Tiger  was  vanquished,  and  fell 
back  from  the  wall,  howling  with  rage  and  pain. 

"  Thunder  !  He  has  killed  my  dog  !  "  exclaimed 
Leman,  as  he  jumped  over  the  wall. 

Harry  did  not  wait  any  longer,  but  took  to  his 
heels,  followed  by  both  his  pursuers,  though  not  by 
the  dog,  which  was  hors  de  combat.  Our  hero  was 
in  a  "  light  place,"  but  with  a  heroism  worthy  the 
days  of  chivalry,  he  resolved  not  to  be  captured. 

He  had  not  run  far,  however,  before  he  realized 
that  George  Leman  was  more  than  a  match  for  hirr , 
especially  in  his  present  worn-out  condition.  He  v  as 
almost  upon  him,  when  Harry  executed  a  counter 
movement,  which  was  intended  to  "  outflank "  his 
adversary  Dodging  round  a  large  rock  in  the  field, 
he  redoubled  his  efforts,  running  now  towards  the 
road  where  the  horse  was  standing.  Leman  was  a 
little  confused  by  this  sudden  action,  and  for  an  in- 
giant  lost  ground. 

Harry  reached  the  road  and  leaped  the  wall  at  > 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  .0. 

single  hound:  it  was  a  miracle  that,  in  the  darhncs* 
he  had  not  dashed  his  brains  out  upon  the  rocks,  iii 
the  reckless  leap.  The  horse  was  startled  by  thfi 
noisj,  and  his  snort  suggested  a  brilliant  idea  to 
Harry. 

"  Go  'long  ! "  he  shouted  ;  and  the  horse  staited 
towards  Kockville  at  a  round  pace. 

Harry  jumped  into  the  wagon  over  the  hind  board, 
and  grasping  the  reins,  put  the  high-mettled  animal 
to  the  top  of  his  speed. 

"  Go  'long  !  "  hallooed  Harry,  mad  with  excite- 
ment. 

The  horse  manifested  no  feeling  of  partiality  to- 
ward either  of  the  parties,  and  seemed  as  willing  to 
do  his  best  for  Harry  as  for  his  master. 

"  Stop  !  Stoj)  !  "  shouted  George  Leman,  astound- 
ed at  the  new  phase  which  the  chase  had  assumed. 
44  Stop  !  and  I  will  let  you  go." 

That  was  quite  reasonable.  It  was  natural  that  he 
should  prefer  to  let  the  fugitive  escape,  to  the  alter* 
native  of  losing  his  horse.  George  Leman  was  no'ed 
for  three  things  in  Redfield  ;  his  boat,  his  ugly  dog, 
and  his  f:\st  horse  ;  and  Harry,  after  stesiing  the  boal 


102  THY    AGAIT*  ;     OK,    THE    TRIAL8 

and  killing  the  dog,  was  in  a  fair  way  to  depihs  him 
of  his  horse,  upon  which  he  set  a  high  value.  The 
boy  seemed  like  his  evil  genius,  and  no  doubt  he  wa* 
.ngry  with  himself  for  letting  so  mean  a  man  as  Jacob 
Wire  persuade  him  to  hunt  down  such  small  game. 

Harry  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  stop,  and  in  a 
few  moments  had  left  his  pursuers  out  of  sight. 
Then  he  began  to  breathe  freer.  He  had  played  a 
desperate  game,  and  won  the  victory ;  yet  he  did  not 
feel  like  indulging  in  a  triumph.  The  battle  had 
been  a  bitter  necessity,  and  he  even  regretted  the 
fate  of  poor  Tiger,  whose  ribs  he  had  stove  in  with 
a  rock. 

He  passed  through  Rockville.  All  was  still,  save 
the  roaring  of  the  waters  at  the  dam,  and  no  one 
challenged  him. 

"  I  am  safe,  at  any  rate,"  said  he  to  himself,  when 
he  had  passed  the  village.  "  What  will  be  the  next 
scrape,  I  wonder  ?  Confound  it !  They  will  hare 
me  up  for  stealing  a  horse  next.  But  I  didn't  steal 
nim.  George  Leman  is  a  good  fellow,  and  only  for 
the  fun  of  the  thing,  he  wouldn't  have  come  out  on 
such  a  chase.  I  wouldn't  steal  any  body's  horse 
Whoa  !  " 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  105 

Harry  hauled  up  by  the  road  side,  and  fastened  the 
Horse  to  the  fence. 

"  There,  George,  you  can  have  your  horse  again ; 
but  I  will  just  put  the  blanket  over  him,  for  he  is  all 
of  a  reeking  sweat.  It  will  just  show  George,  when 
he  comes  up,  that  I  don't  mean  him  any  harm.  I 
hope  his  dog  wasn't  killed." 

Taking  the  blanket  which  lay  in  the  bottom  of  the 
wagon,  (for  George  Leman  was  very  careful  of  his 
horse,  and  though  it  was  October,  always  covered 
him  when  he  let  him  stand  out  at  night,)  he  spread 
it  over  him. 

"  Now,  for  Number  One  again,"  muttered  Harry. 
"  I  must  take  to  the  woods,  though  I  doubt  if  George 
will  follow  me  any  farther." 

So  saying,  he  got  over  the  fence,  and  made  hi?  way 
across  the  fields  to  the  woods,  whirh  were  but  a  ibcii 
d  usance  from  the  road 


104  TRY    AGAIN  :     OR.    THE    TRIALS 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

IK    WHICH    HARRY   KILLS  A  BIG    SNAKE.  AND   MAKES 
A    NEW    FRIEND. 

Harry  was  not  entirely  satisfied  with  what  ha 
lad  done.  He  regretted  the  necessity  which  had 
compelled  him  to  take  George  Leman's  horse.  It 
looked  too  much  like  stealing ;  and  his  awakened 
moral  sense  repelled  the  idea  of  such  a  crime.  But 
they  could  not  accuse  him  of  stealing  the  horse  ;  foi 
Lis  last  act  would  repudiate  the  idea. 

His  great  resolution  to  become  a  good  and  true 
man  was  by  no  means  forgotten.  It  is  true,  at  the 
very  outset  of  t\t  new  life  he  had  marked  out  for 
himself,  he  had  U  <  n  obliged  to  behave  like  a  young 
ruffian,  >>r  be  resti'-ul  to  his  exacting  guardians.  It 
vis  rathe'  i.  bai  tq-  nning  ;  but  he  had  taken  what 
hvd  appeiui  to  him    fc    only  course. 

V»*  h  ii,?V.  for  111      o  run  away  ?      On  the   solu 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  103 

tion  of  this  problem  depended  the  moral  charactei 
of  the  subsequent  acts.  If  it  was  light  for  him  to 
run  away,  why,  of  course  it  was  right  for  him  to  reaia* 
those  who  attempted  to  restore  him  to  Jacob  Wire. 

Harry  made  up  his  mind  that  it  was  right  for  Lira 
to  run  away,  under  the  circumstances.  His  new 
master  had  been  charged  to  break  him  doAvn  —  even 
to  starve  him  down.  Jacob's  reputation  as  a  mean 
and  hard  man  was  well  merited  ;  and  it  was  his  duty 
to  leave  without  stopping  to  say  good  by. 

I  do  not  think  that  Harry  was  wholly  in  the  right, 
though  I  dare  say  all  my  young  readers  will  sympa- 
thize with  the  stout  hearted  little  hero.  So  far,  Jacob 
Wire  had  done  him  no  harm.  He  had  suffered  no 
hardship  at  his  hands.  All  his  misery  was  in  the 
future  ;  and  if  he  had  staid,  perhaps  his  master  might 
have  done  well  by  him,  though  it  is  not  probable. 
Still  I  think  Harry  was  in  some  sense  justifiable. 
To  remain  in  such  a  place  was  to  cramp  his  soul,  as 
well  as  pinch  his  body —  to  be  unhappy,  if  not  posi- 
tively miserable.  He  might  have  tried  the  place, 
and  when  he  found  it  could  not  be  endured,  fled 
from  it. 


106  TRY    AGAIN;     OR,    THE    TRTA1.8 

It  must  be  remembered  tbat  Harry  was  a  pj.upet 
and  an  orphan.  He  had  not  had  the  benefit  of 
paiental  instruction.  It  was  not  from  the  home  of 
th  >se  whom  God  had  appointed  to  be  his  guardians 
and  protectors  that  he  had  fled;  it  was  from  one  who 
regarded  him,  not  as  a  rational  being,  possessed  of 
an  immortal  soul  —  one  for  whose  moral,  mental, 
and  spiritual  welfare  he  was  accountable  before  God, 
—  that  he  had  run  away,  but  from  one  who  consid- 
ered him  as  a  mere  machine,  from  which  it  was  his 
only  interest  to  get  as  much  work  at  as  little  cost 
as  possible.  He  fled  from  a  taskmaster,  not  from 
one  who  was  in  any  just  sense  a  guardian. 

Harry  did  not  reason  out  all  this ;  he  only  felt  it. 
What  was  Jacob  Wire  to  him  ?  What  was  even 
Squire  Walker  to  him  ?  What  did  they  care  about 
his  true  welfare  ?  Nothing.  Harry  so  understood 
it,  and  acted  accordingly. 

The  future  was  full  of  trials  and  difficulties.  But 
his  heart  was  stout ;  and  the  events  of  the  last  chap- 
ter inspired  him  with  confidence  in  his  own  abilities, 
He  entered  the  dark  woods,  and  paused  to  rest  him* 
telf.      What  should  he  do  next ? 


AND    THITJMPH8    OF    HAEKT    WEST.  1 0"5 

While  he  was  discussing  this  question  in  his  cwn 
tnind,  he  heard  the  sound  of  voices  on  the  road,  which 
was  not  more  than  fifty  rods  distant.  It  was  George 
Leman  and  Jacob  Wire.  In  a  few  minutes  he  heard 
the  sound  of  wagon  wheels  ;  and  soon  had  the  sat- 
isfaction of  knowing  that  his  pursuers  had  abandoned 
the  chase,  and  were  returning  home. 

The  little  fugitive  was  very  tired  and  very  sleepy. 
It  was  not  possible  for  him  to  continue  his  journey, 
and  he  looked  about  him  for  a  place  in  which  to 
lodge.  The  night  was  chilly  and  damp ;  and  as  he 
sat  upon  the  rock,  he  shivered  with  cold.  It  would 
be  impossible  to  sleep  on  the  wet  ground  ;  and  if  he 
could,  it  might  cost  him  his  life.  It  was  a  pine  for- 
est ;  and  there  were  no  leaves  on  the  ground,  so  that 
he  could  not  make  such  a  bed  as  that  in  which  he 
nad  slept  the  previous  night. 

He  was  so  cold  that  he  was  obliged  to  move  about 
to  get  warm.  It  occurred  to  him  that  he  might  get 
into  some  barn  in  the  vicinity,  and  nestle  comforta- 
bly in  the  hay ;  but  the  risk  of  being  discovered  waa . 
too  great,  and  he  directed  his  step3  t.iwarde  the 
depths  of  the   forest. 


108  tut  again;    ok,  the  trials 

After  walking  some  distance,  he  came  to  an  opea 
place  in  the  woods.  The  character  of  the  growth 
had  changed,  and  the  ground  was  covered  with  young 
maples,  walnuts,  and  oaks.  The  wood  had  been 
recently  cut  off  over  a  large  area,  but  there  were  no 
leaves  of  which  he  could  make  a  bed. 

Fortune  favored  him,  however;  for,  after  advancing 
half  way  across  the  open  space,  he  reach- :d  one  of 
those  cabins  erected  for  the  use  of  men  employed  to 
watch  coal  pits.  It  was  made  of  board  slabs,  and 
covered  over  with  sods.  Near  it  was  the  circular 
space  on  which  the  coal  pit  had  burned. 

At  the  time  of  which  I  write,  charcoal  wis  carried 
to  Boston  from  many  towns  within  thirty  miles  of 
the  city.  Perhaps  my  young  readers  may  never  have 
seen  a  coal  pit.  The  wood  is  set  up  on  the  ends  of 
the  sticks,  till  a  circular  pile  from  ten  to  twenty  feet 
in  diameter  is  formed,  and  two  tiers  in  height.  ItH 
shape  is  that  of  a  cone,  or  sugar  loaf.  It  is  then 
covered  with  turf  and  soil.  Fire  is  communicated 
to  the  wood,  so  that  it  shall  smoulder,  or  burn  slow- 
ly, without  blazing.  Just  enough  air  is  admitted  to 
the  pit  to  keep  the  fire  alive.      If  the  air  were   freeij 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAKBY    WEST.  I0i) 

tdnr'ttcd,  the  pile  would  burn  to  ashes.  Sometimes 
the  outer  covering  of  dirt  and  sods  falls  in,  as  the 
wood  shrinks,  permitting  the  air  to  rush  in  and  fan 
th«  fire  to  a  blaze.  "When  this  occurs,  the  apeiture 
must  be  closed,  or  the  wood  would  be  consumed  ; 
and  it  is  necessary  to  watch  it  day  and  night.  The 
rabin  had  been  built  for  the  comfort  of  the  men  who 
did  this  duty. 

Harry's  heart  was  filled  with  gratitude  when  he 
discovered  the  rude  nut.  If  it  had  been  a  palace,  it 
could  not  have  been  a  more  welcome  retreat.  It 
Is  true  the  stormy  wind  had  broken  down  the  door, 
and  the  place  was  no  better  than  a  squirrel  hole  ;  yet 
it  suggested  a  thousand  brilliant  ideas  of  comfort, 
and  luxury  even,  to  our  worn-out  and  hunted  fd 
gitive. 

He  entered  the  cabin.  The  floor  was  covered 
with  straw,  which  completed  his  ideal  of  a  luxurious 
abode.  Raising  up  the  door,  which  had  fallen  to  the 
ground,  he  placed  it  before  the  aperture  —  thu-  ex- 
cluding the  cold  air  from  his  chamber. 

"  I'm  a  lucky  fellow,"    exclaimed    Harry,   a°    he 
threw  himself  on  (he  straw.     "This  place  will  be  a 
10 


110  THY    AGAIN;     3K,    THE    TR11L8 

palace  beside  Jacob  Wire's  house.  And  I  :an  etaj 
here  a  month,  if  I  like." 

Nestling  closely  under  the  side  of  the  hu',  he 
pulled  the  straw  over  him,  and  soon  began  to  feel 
perfectly  at  home.  Only  one  consideration  troubled 
him.  The  commissary  department  of  the  establish- 
ment could  not  be  relied  on.  There  were  no  puik 
and  potatoes  in  the  house,  no  well-filled  grain  chest, 
no  groceries,  not  even  a  rill  of  pure  water  at  hand. 
This  was  an  unpromising  state  of  things ;  and  he 
began  to  see  that  there  would  be  no  fun  in  living  in 
the  woods,  where  the  butcher  and  the  baker  would 
not  be  likely  to  visit  him. 

Various  means  of  supplying  the  deficiency  sug- 
gested themselves.  There  were  rabbits,  partridges, 
and  quails  in  the  woods  ;  he  might  set  a  snare,  and 
catch  some  of  them.  But  he  had  no  fire  to  cook 
them  ;  and  Dr.  Kane  had  not  then  demonstrated  the 
healthy  and  appetizing  qualities  of  raw  meat.  The 
orchards  in  the  neighborhood  were  accessible  ;  but 
prudence  seemed  to  raise  an  impassable  barrier  be- 
tween him  and  them. 

"While  he   was  thus  considering  these  matters,  he 


AND    TBITJatfPHS    OF    HA.ERT    WEST.  11] 

dropped  asleep,  and  forgot  all  about  his  stomach 
He  was  completely  exhausted ;  and  no  doubt  the 
owls  and  bats  were  astonished  as  they  listened  to 
the  sonorous  sounds  that  came  from  the  deserted 
cabin. 

Long  and  deep  was  his  sleep.  The  birds  sang 
their  matin  songs  on  the  tree  tops  ;  but  he  heard 
them  not.  The  sun  rose,  and  penetrated  the  chinks 
of  the  hut ;  but  the  little  wanderer  still  slumbered. 
The  Rockville  clock  struck  nine  ;  and  he  heard  it 
not. 

I  think  it  was  Harry's  grumbling  stomach  that 
finaUy  wak^d  him;  and  it  was  no  wonder  that  neg- 
lected organ  grew  impatient  under  the  injury  put 
upon  it,  for  Harry  had  eaten  little  or.  nothing  since 
his  dinner  at  the  poorhouse  on  the  preceding  day. 

Jumping  out  of  the  heap  cf  straw  in  which  he  had 
"  cuddled  "  all  night  scarcely  svithout  moving,  he  left 
{he  hut  to  reconnoitre  his  position.  Sc  far  as  security 
was  concerned,  it  seemed  to  be  a  perfectly  safe  place. 
He  could  see  nothing  of  the  village  jf  Rockville, 
though,  beyond  the  open  space,  he  saw  the  top  ot  a 
chimney ;   but  it  was  at  least  half  a  mile  distant 


112  tby  again;   ok,  the  trials 

Just  then  he  did  not  feel  much  interested  in  th? 
scenery  and  natural  advantages  of  the  position.  Hi* 
Btomach  was  imperative,  and  he  was  faint  from  th  ? 
want  of  food.  There  was  nothing  in  the  wood3  t"> 
eat.  Berry  time  was  past;  and  the  prospect  of  sup- 
plying his  wants  was  very  discouraging.  Leaving 
the  cabin,  he  walked  towards  the  distant  chimney 
that  peered  above  the  tree  tops.  It  belonged  tt 
a  house  that  "  was  set  on  a  hill,  and  could  not  be 
hid." 

Alter  going  a  little  way,  he  came  to  a  cart  path, 
which  led  towards  the  house.  This  he  followed, 
descending  a  hill  into  a  swamp,  which  was  covered 
over  with  alders  and  birches.  At  the  foot  of  the 
declivity  he  heard  the  rippling  of  waters  ;  but  the 
bushes  concealed  the  stream  from  his  view. 

He  had  descended  nearly  to  the  foot  of  the  hill 
when  the  sound  of  footsteps  reached  his  ears.  His 
heart  beat  quick  with  apprehension,  and  he  paused 
to  listen.  The  step  was  soft  and  light ;  it  was  not  a 
man's,  and  bin  courage  rose.  Pat,  pat,  pat,  went  tha 
steps  on  the  leafy  ground,  so  gently  that  his  fears 
were  conquered ;  for  th°  person  could  be  only  a 
thild. 


ANT)    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  113 

•S.'ddenly  a  piercing  shr'-^k  saluted  his  ears 
i.  tc'hing  had  occurred  to  alarm  the  owner  of 
tl  •  fairy  feet  which  made  the  soft  pat,  pat,  on  the 
gl  nd  Another  shriek,  and  Harry  bounded  down 
tb  roa  1  like  an  antelope,  heedless  of  the  remon- 
strances of  his  grumbling  stomach. 

"Mercy!  help!"  shouted  a  voice,  which  Harry 
perceiv3d  was  that  of  a  little  girl. 

In  a  moment  more,  he  discovered  the  young  lady 
running  with  all  her  might  towards  him. 

"  Save  vie  !  "  gasped  the  girl. 

"  What  ii  the  matter  ?  " 

But  Harry  had  scarcely  asked  the  question  before 
ne  saw  whit  had  alarmed  her.  Under  other  circum- 
stance;, he  would  have  quailed  himself;  for,  as  he 
apjKe,  a  gteat  black  snake  raised  his  head  two  or 
three  fret  from  the  ground  directly  in  front  of  him. 
He  was  at  ugly-looking  monster,  and  evidently  in- 
tended to  i\?rck  him.  All  the  chivalry  of  Harry's 
nature  was  ciWed  up  to  meet  the  emergency  of  the 
occasion.  Scmci;  \  Htflo  stick  that  lay  in  the  path, 
he  struck  Btuury  vigi  uvjj  blows  at  the  reptile 
which,  however,  jin'^x". ^  vndy  to  madden,  withou* 
8* 


114  TRY     ^GAIK  J    OK,    THE    TRIALS 

disabling,  him.  Several  times  lie  elevated  his  head 
from  the  ground  to  strike  at  his  assailant :  but  the 
little  knight  was  an  old  hand  with  snakes,  and  \ig" 
orousiv  repelled  his  assaults.  At  last,  he  struck  a 
blow  which  laid  out  his  snakeship ;  and  the  field  was 
won,  when  Harry  had  smashed  his  head  with  a  large 
rock.  The  reptile  was  about  four  feet  and  a  halJ 
long,  and  as  big  round  as  a  small  boy's  wrist. 

"  There,  miss,  he  won't  hurt  you  now,"  said 
Harry,  panting  with  his  exertions. 

"  Won't  he  ?     Are  you  sure  he  is  dead  ?  " 

"  Very  sure." 

The  little  girl  ventured  to  approach  the  dead  body 
of  the  snake,  and  satisfied  herself  that  he  could  no' 
barm  her. 

"  What  an  ugly  snake  !  I  was  crossing  the  brook 
at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  when  he  sprang  out  from 
beneath  my  feet,  and  chased  me.  I  never  was  so 
frightened  in  all  my  life,"  said  the  little  miss. 

"  I  don't  wonder,"  replied  Harry. 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you.  What  is  youl 
Dame  f  "  asked  she,  with  chiMish  simplicity. 

Harry  did  not  like  to  answer  that  question,  and 
aaade  no  reply. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARKT    WEST.  lid 

M  Do  you  live  in  Rockville  ?  "  she  continued. 

"  No  ;  I  used  to  live  in  Redfield." 

"  Where  do  you  live  now  ?  " 

•'  I  don't  live  any  where." 

Ihe  little  girl  wanted  to  laugh  then,  it  seemed 
mch  a  funny  answer. 

"  Don'*  you  ?     Who  is  your  father  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  father." 

"  Who  is  your  mother,  then  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  mother." 

"  Poor  buy  !     Then  you  are  an  orphan." 

"  I  suppose  so.  But,  little  girl,  I  don't  want  you 
to  tell  any  one  that  you  have  seen  me.  You  won't 
—  will  you  r  " 

"  Not  father  and  mother:  "  asked  the  maiden,  with 
a  stare  of  astonishment. 

"  If  you  please,  don't.  I  am  a  poor  boy,  and  have 
run  away  from  a  hard  master." 

;'  I  won't  tell  any  body." 

•'  And  I  am  very  hungry." 

"  Poor  boy !  How  lucky  that  I  have  lota  of 
goodies  in  my  ba«k:t !  "  exclaimed  she.  "  You  shalj 
eat  all  you  can  " 


116  iky  again;   or,  the  trials 

"  ]  haven't  eat  any  thing  since  yesterday  noon," 
replied  Harry,  as  he  took  a  handful  of  doughnut* 
ihe  handed  him. 

"  Sit  down  on  this  rock,  and  do  eat  all  you  want. 
I  never  knew  what  it  was  to  be  very  hungry." 

Harry  seated  himself,  and  proceeded  to  devour  the 
food  the  sympathizing  little  maiden  had  given  him, 
while  she  looked  on  with  astonishment  and  deligl  t 
as  he  voraciously  consumed  cake  after  cake,  without 
seeming  to  produce  any  effect  upon  the  "  abhorred 
v&ctima/' 


AND    TRTTTMFHS    CF    HA5KT    WEST.  li'J 


CHAPTER    TX 

IH  WHICH  HARRY  BREAKFASTS  ON  DOUGHNUTS, 
AND  FINDS  THAT  ANGELS  DO  NOT  ALWAYS  HAVB 
WINGS. 

Harry  was  very  hungry,  and  the  little  girl  thought 
he  would  never  have  eaten  enough.  Since  he  had 
t~ld  her  he  had  run  away,  she  was  deer  'y  interested 
in  him,  and  had  a  hundred  questions  to  :i&k ;  but  she 
did  not  wish  to  bother  him  while  he  was  eating,  he 
was  so  deeply  absorbed  in  the  occupation. 

"  What  a  blessed  thing  doughnuts  are  !  "  laughed 
she,  as  Harry  levelled  on  the  sixth  cake.  "  I  never 
thought  much  of  them  before,  but  I  never  shall  see  a 
doughnut  again  without  thinking  of  you." 

Our  hero  was  perfectly  willing  to  believe  that 
doughnuts  were  a  very  beneficent  inst^cion ;  but 
just  then  he  ^as  too  busily  occupied  to  *)*  aeutime^ 
tal  over  them. 


lt'i  TEY    again;    OK,    THE    TJailT.fl 

"  What  is  your  name,  little  girl  ?  "  asked  Harry 
is  he  crammed  half  of  the  cake  into  his  mouth. 

"  I  have  a  great  mind  not  to  tell  you,  because 
you  wouldn't  tell  me  what  yours  is,"  replied  she, 
roguishly. 

"  You  see  how  it  is  with  me.  I  have  run  away 
from  —  well,  from  somewhere." 

"  And  you  are  afraid  I  will  tell  ?  I  won't  thougn. 
But,  as  you  killed  the  snake,  I  shall  tell  you,  Mv 
name  is  Julia  Bryant." 

"  Mine  is  Harry  West,"  replied  he,  unable  to  resist 
the  little  lady's  argument.  "  You  must  not  tell  any 
one  about  me  for  three  days,  for  then  I  shall  be  out 
of  the  way." 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Harry  ?  " 

"  To  Boston." 

"  Are  you  ?  They  say  that  none  but  bad  boys  run 
away.  I  hope  yo"  are  rof  ?  had  Koy."  And  Julia 
glanced  earnestly  at  the  fugitive. 

"  J  don't  think  I  am." 

"  I  don't  think  you  are,  cither." 

It  was  a  hearty  endorsement,  and  Harry's  heart 
urarmed  as   she  spoke      The  little  maiden  was  not 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARKY    WEST.  119 

Biore  than  nine  or  ten  years  old,  but  she  seemed  tc 
have  some  skill  in  reading  faces ;  at  least,  Harrj 
thought  she  had.  "Whatever  might  he  said  of  him- 
self, he  was  sure  she  was  a  good  girl.  In  short, 
though  Harry  had  never  read  a  novel  in  his  life,  she 
was  a  little  angel,  even  if  she  had  no  wings.  He 
even  went  so  far  as  to  believe  she  was  a  little  angel, 
commissioned  by  that  mysterious  something,  which 
wiser  and  more  devout  persons  would  have  called 
5,  special  providence,  to  relieve  his  wants  with  the 
contents  of  her  basket,  and  gladden  his  heart  by  the 
sunshine  of  her  sweet  smile.  There  is  something  in 
goodness  which  always  finds  its  way  to  the  face.  It 
makes  little  girls  look  prettier  than  silks,  and  laces, 
and  ribbons,  and  embroidery.  Julia  Biyant  was  pret- 
ty, very  pretty.  Harry  thought  so  ;  but  very  likely  it 
was  the  doughnuts  and  her  kind  words  which  consti- 
tuted her  beauty. 

"  1  am  pretty  sure  I  am  not  a  bad  boy,"  continued 
(lurry  ;  "  but  I  will  tell  3-ou  my  story,  and  you  shah 
tudge  for  yourself." 

"  You  will  tell  me  all  of  it  —  won't  you  ?  M 
-  To  be  sure  I  will,"  replied  Harry,  a  little  tartly 
tor  he  misapprehended  Julia's  meaning. 


120  tkv  again;    OR,   THE   TKIAjS 

He  thought  she  was  afraid  he  would  not  tell  hi. 
wrong  acts ;  whereas  her  deep  interest  in  him  ren* 
iered  her  anxious  to  have  the  whole,  even  to  t\x< 
smallest  particulars. 

"  I  shall  be  so  delighted  !  I  do  so  love  to  hear  a 
good  story  !  "  exclaimed  Julia. 

"  You  shall  have  it  all ;  but  where  were  you  go- 
ing ?     It  will  take  me  a  good  while." 

"  I  was  going  to  carry  these  doughnuts  to  Mrs. 
Lane.  She  is  a  poor  widow,  who  lives  over  on  the 
back  lane.  She  has  five  children,  and  has  very  hard 
work  to  get  along.  I  carry  something  to  her  every 
»veek." 

"  Then  you  are  a  little  angel !  "  added  Harry,  who 
could  understand  and  appreciate  kindness  to  the  poor. 

'  Not  exactly  an  angel,  though  Mrs.  Lane  says  1 
am,"  replied  Julia,  with  a  blush. 

"  Aunty  Gray,  over  to  the  poorhouse,  used  to  call 
ever)  bo  ly  an  angel  that  brought  her  any  thing  good. 
80  I  um  sure  you  must  be  one." 

"  Never  mind  what  1  am  now.  I  am  dying  to  heal 
your  story,"  interposed  Julia,  as  she  seated  herself  on 
another  rock,  near  that  occupied  by  Harry. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEKT    WEST.  12\ 

"  Hfere  goes,  tnen  ;  "  and  Harry  proceeded  with  his 
tale,  commencing  back  beyond  his  remembrance  Avitk 
the  traditionary  history  which  had  been  communicat- 
ed to  him  by  Mr.  Nason  and  the  paupers. 

When  he  came  to  the  period  of  authentic  history 
or  that  which  was  stored  up  in  his  memory,  he  grew 
eloquent,  and  the  narrative  glowed  with  the  living 
fire  of  the  hero.  Julia  was  quite  as  much  interested 
as  Desdemona  in  the  story  of  the  swarthy  Moor. 
His  "  round,  unvarnished  tale,"  adorned  only  with 
the  flowers  of  youthful  simplicity,  enchained  her  at- 
tention, and  she  "  loved  him  for  the  dangers  he  had 
passed  ;  "  loved  him,  not  as  Desdemona  loved,  but  aa 
a  child  loves.  She  was  sure  now  that  he  was  not  a 
bad  boy  ;  that  even  a  good  boy  might  do  such  a  thing 
as  run  away  from  cruel  and  exacting  guardians. 

'  What  a  strange  story,  Harry  !  How  near  you 
came  to  being  drowned  in  the  river  !  I  wonder  the 
man  had  not  killed  you  !  And  then  they  wanted  to 
send  you  to  prison,  for  setting  the  barn  afire  '  "  cx- 
tlaimel  Julia,  when  he  had  finished  the  story. 

M 1   came   pretty   near  it ;    that's  a  fact !  "   replied 
'  11 


122  TUY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

Harry,  warming  under  the  approbation  of  his  parti*, 
nidi  tor. 

"  And  you  killed  the  big  dog  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  ;   I  hope  I  didn't." 

"  But  you  didn't  steal  the  horse  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  mean  to  steal  him." 

"  No  one  could  call  that  stealing.  But  what  are 
you  going  to  do  next,  Harry  ?  " 

"  I  am  going  to  Boston." 

"  What  will  you  do,  when  you  get  there  ?  " 

"  I  can  go  to  work." 

"  You  are  not  big  enough  to  work  much." 

"  I  can  do  a  good  deal." 

For  some  time  longer  they  discussed  Harry's  story, 
and  Julia  regretted  the  necessity  of  leaving  him  to  do 
her  errand  at  Mrs.  Lane's.  She  promised  to  see  him 
when  she  returned,  and  Harry  walked  down  to  tho 
brook  to  get  a  drink,  while  she  continued  on  her  way. 

Our  hero  was  deeply  interested  in  the  little  girl 
1  lite  the  "  great  guns  "  in  the  novels,  he  was  sure  she 
was  no  ordinary  character.  He  was  fully  satisfied  in 
relation  to  the  providential  nature  of  their  meeting 
Bhe  had  been  sent  by  that  incomprehensible  some* 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY   "WEST.  128 

thing  to  furnish  him  with  food,  and  he  trembled  when 
he  thought  what  might  have  happened  if  she  had  not 
come. 

"  I  can't  be  a  very  bad  boy,"  thought  he,  "  or  she 
would  not  have  liked  me.  Mr.  Xason  used  to  say  he 
could  tell  an  ugly  horse  by  the  looks  of  his  eye ;  and 
the  schoolmaster  last  winter  picked  out  all  the  bad 
boys  at  a  glance.  I  can't  be  a  very  bad  boy,  or  she 
would  have  found  me  out.  I  know  I  am  not  a  bad 
boy.     I  feel  right,  and  try  to  do  right." 

Harry's  imagination  invested  Julia  Bryant  with  a 
thousand  poetical  excellences.  That  she  felt  an  in- 
terest in  him  —  one  so  good  as  she  —  was  enough  to 
lonfirm  all  the  noble  resolutions  he  had  made,  and 
give  him  strength  to  keep  them  ;  and  as  he  seated 
himself  by  the  brook,  he  thought  over  his  faults,  and 
renewed  his  determination  to  uproot  them  from  hia 
character.  His  meeting  with  the  "  little  angel,"  aa 
he  chose  to  regard  her,  was  an  oasis  in  the  desert  — 
a  place  where  his  moral  nature  could  drink  the  pure 
waters  of  life. 

No  one  had  ever  before  seemed  to  c=»re  much 
whether  he  was  a  good  boy  or  a  bad  boy.     The  min« 


124  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OK,    THE    TRIAL8 

later  used  now  and  then  to  give  him  a  dry  lecture  { 
but  he  did  not  seem  to  feel  any  real  interest  in  him 
He  was  a  minister,  and  of  course  he  must  preach ;  not 
that  he  cared  whether  a  pauper  boy  was  a  saint  »>r  a 
sinner,  but  only  to  do  the  work  he  was  hired  to  lo, 
and  earn  his  money. 

Julia  did  not  preach.  Her  sweet  face  was  the 
"  beauty  of  holiness."  She  hoped  he  was  not  a  bad 
boy.  She  liked  a  good  boy  ;  and  this  was  incentive 
enough  to  incur  a  lifetime  of  trial  and  self-sacrifice. 
Harry  was  an  orphan.  To  have  one  feel  an  interest 
in  his  moral  welfare,  to  have  one  wish  him  to  be  a 
good  boy,  had  not  grown  stale  by  long  continuance. 
He  had  known  no  anxious  mother,  who  wished  him 
to  be  good,  who  would  weep  when  he  did  wrong. 
The  sympathy  of  the  little  angel  touched  a  sensitive 
choid  in  his  heart  and  soul,  and  he  felt  that  he  should 
go  forward  in  the  great  pilgrimage  of  life  with  a  new 
desire  to  be  true  to  himself,  and  true  to  her  whc  had 
inspired  his  reverence 

Even  a  child  cannot  be  good  without  having  it  felt 
by  others.  "  She  hoped  he  was  not  a  bad  boy,"  were 
the  words  of  the  little  angel ;  and  before  she  returned 


JiXD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  125 

from  her  errand  of  mercy,  he  had  repeated  them  tc 
himself  a  hundred  times.  They  were  a  talisman  t<, 
him,  and  he  was  sure  he  should  never  be  a  bad  boy 
In  the  face  of  such  a  wish. 

He  wandered  about  the  woods  for  two  or  three 
hours,  impatient  for  the  re'.urn  of  the  little  rural  god- 
dess who  had  taken  possession  of  his  thoughts,  and 
filled  his  soul  with  admiration.  She  came  at  last, 
and  glad  was  the  welcome  which  he  gave  her. 

"  I  have  been  thinking  of  you  ever  since  I  left 
you,"  said  Julia,  as  she  approached  the  place  where 
he  had  been  waiting  her  return. 

Harry  thought  this  was  a  remarkable  coincidence 
He  had  been  thinking  of  her  also. 

"  I  hope  you  didn't  think  of  me  as  a  bad  boy," 
replied  he,  giving  expression  to  that  which  was  up- 
permost in  his  mind. 

"  I  am  sure  I  didn't.  I  am  sure  you  must  be  a 
good  boy." 

*'  I  am  glad  you  think  so;  and  that  will  help  m« 
\e  a  good  boy." 

"  Will  it  ?  " 

11  • 


126  TRY    AGAIN;     OK,    THE    TBIAL8 

"  I  never  had  any  one  to  care  whether  I  was  good 
or  Lad.     If  you  do,  you  will  be  the  first  one." 

The  little  girl  looked  sad.  She  had  a  father  and 
mother  who  loved  her,  and  prayed  for  her  every  day 
It  seemed  hard  that  poor  Harry  should  nave  no 
mother  to  love  him  as  her  mother  loved  her ;  to 
watch  over  him  day  and  night,  to  take  care  of  him 
when  he  was  sick,  and,  above  all,  to  teach  him  to  be 
good.  She  pitied  the  lonely  orphan,  and  would  glad- 
ly have  taken  him  to  her  happy  home,  and  shared 
with  him  all  she  had,  even  the  love  of  her  mother. 

"  Poor  boy  !  "  she  sighed.  "  But  I  have  been 
thinking  of  something,"  she  added,  in  more  sprightly 
tones. 

"  What,  Julia  ?  " 

"  If  you  would  only  let  me  tell  my  father  that  you 
are  here " 

"  Not  for  the  world  !  "  cried  Harry. 

"  0,  I  won't  say  a  word,  unless  you  give  me  leave; 
out  my  father  is  rich.  •  He  owns  a  great  factory  and 
a  great  farm.  He  has  lots  of  men  to  work  for  him : 
and  my  father  is  a  very  good  man,  too.  People  will 
do  a*  he  wants  them  to  do,  ai  d  if  you  will  let  me 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    IJi.RRY    WEST.  12" 

tell  him  your  story,  he  will  go  over  to  Red  field  and 
make  them  let  you  stay  at  our  house.  You  shall  ba 
oi}'  hi  other  then,  and  we  can  do  lots  of  things  to* 
gether.      Do  let  me  tell  him." 

"  I  don't  think  it  would  be  safe.  I  know  Squire 
Walker  wouldn't  let  me  go  to  any  place  where  they 
would  use  me  well." 

"  What  a  horrible  man  he  must  be  !  " 

"  No  ;  I  think  I  will  go  on  to  Boston." 

"  You  will  have  a  very  hard  time  of  it." 

"No  matter  for  that." 

"  They  may  catch  you." 

"  If  they  do,  I  shall  try  again." 

"  If  they  do  catch  you,  will  you  let  my  fathei 
know  it?  He  will  be  your  friend,  for  my  friends  aie 
his  friends." 

'  I  will,  I  should  be  very  glad  to  have  such  i 
fiieml." 

"  There  is  our  dinner  bell  !"  said  Julia,  as  Harry 
heard  the  distant  sound.  "  1  must  go  home,  liow 
I  wish  you  were  going  with  me  !  " 

"  I  wish  I  was.  I  may  never  see  you  again,"  &dd» 
ed  Harry,  sadly 


128  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    lliE    TKTAL8 

"  0,  you  must  see  me  again  !  "When  you  get  big 
you  must  come  to  Kockville." 

"  You  will  not  wish  to  see  the  little  poorhouse 
boy,  then." 

"  Won't  I  ?  I  shall  always  be  glad  to  see  the  boy 
that  killed  that  snake  !  But  I  shall  come  up  after 
linn3r,  and  bring  you  something  to  eat.  Do  let  me 
tell  mother  you  are  here." 

"  I  would  rather  you  wouldn't." 

"  Suppose  she  asks  me  what  I  am  going  to  do  wi\h 
the  dinner  I  shall  bring  you  ?     I  can't  tell  a  lie." 

"  Don't  bring  any,  then.  I  would  rather  not  have 
any  dinner  than  have  you  tell  a  lie." 

Harry  would  not  always  have  been  so  nice  about 
a  lie  ;  but  for  the  little  angel  to  tell  a  falsehood,  why, 
it  seemed  like  mud  on  a  white  counterpane. 

"  I  won't  tell  a  lie,  but  you  shall  have  your  dinner. 
I  suppose  I  must  go  now." 

Hany  watched  the  retreating  form  of  his  kind 
friend,  till  she  disappeared  beyond  the  curve  of  tte 
pa  til,  and  his  blessing  went  with  her. 


A/rn    TXTUHPHS    OF    HABHY    WEST.  129 


CHAPTER    X. 

in     WHICH     HARRY    FARES     SUMPTUOUSLY,    AND 
TAKES    LEAVE    OF    THE    LITTLE    ANGEL. 

When  Harry  could  no  longer  see  the  little  angel, 
lie  fixed  his  eyes  upon  the  ground,  and  continued  to 
think  of  her.  It  is  not  every  day  that  a  pauper  boy 
Bees  an  angel,  or  even  one  whom  the  enthusiasm  of 
the  imagination  invests  with  angelic  purity  and  an- 
gelic affections. 

In  the  records  of  individual  experience,  as  well  as 
in  the  history  of  the  world,  there  are  certain  points 
nf  time  which  are  rendered  memorable  by  important 
events.  By  referring  to  a  chronological  table,  the 
young  reader  will  see  the  great  events  which  have 
nraiked  the  progress  of  civilized  nations  from  the 
lowest  depths  of  barbarism  up  to  their  present  en- 
lightened state.  Every  individual,  if  he  had  the 
requisite  wisdom,  could  make  up  a  list  of  epochs  in 


130  try  again:  ok.  iai  Ti_Ar.i 

ais  own  experience.  Perhaps  he  v/ouH  dtt&ch  to<j 
litt'.e  importance  to  some  things,  too  much  to  others ; 
for  wo  cannot  always  clearly  perceive  the  influences 
which  assist  in  forming  the  character.  Some  trivial 
event,  far  back  in  the  past,  which  inspired  him  with 
&  new  reverence  for  truth  and  goodness,  may  be  fur- 
gotten.  The  memory  may  not  now  cherish  the  look, 
the  smile  of  approbation,  which  strengthened  the 
heart,  when  it  was  struggling  against  the  foe  without 
or  the  foe  within ;  but  its  influence  was  none  the 
less  potent.  "  It  is  the  last  pound  which  breaks  tie 
camel's  back ;  "  and  that  look,  that  smile,  may  have 
closed  the  door  of  the  heart  against  a  whole  legion 
of  evil  spirits,  and  thus  turned  a  life  of  woe  and  bit- 
terness into  a  life  of  sunshine  and  happiness. 

There  are  hundreds  of  epochs  in  the  experience 
of  every  person,  boy  or  man  —  events  which  raised 
him  up  or  let  him  down  in  the  scale  of  moral  exist- 
ence. Harry  West  had  now  reached  one  of  these 
epochs  in  his  pilgrimage. 

To  meet  a  little  girl  in  the  woods,  to  kill  a  black 
snake,  and  thus  relieve  her  from  a  terrible  fright,  to 
lag  the  least,  was  not  a  great  ever.t,  as  events  &:* 


A.NP    TKIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    "WEST.  13* 

reckoned  in  the  world ;  yet  it  was  destined  tc  exert 
a  powerful  influence  upon  his  future  career.  It  was 
not  the  magnitude  of  the  deed  performed,  or  the 
chivalrous  spirit  which  called  it  forth,  that  made  this 
a  memorable  event  to  Harry ;  it  was  the  angel  visit 
—  the  kindling  influence  of  a  pure  heart  that  passed 
from  her  to  him.  But  I  suppose  the  impatient 
reader  will  not  thank  me  for  moralizing  over  two 
whole  pages,  and  I  leave  the  further  application  of 
the  moral  to  the  discretion  of  my  young  friends. 

Harry  felt  strangely  —  more  strangely  than  he  had 
ever  felt  before.  As  he  walked  back  to  the  cabin, 
every  thing  seemed  to  have  assumed  a  new  appear- 
ance. Somehow  the  trees  did  not  look  as  they  used 
to  look.  He  saw  through  a  different  medium.  His 
being  seemed  to  have  undergone  a  change.  He 
could  not  account  for  it ;  perhaps  he  did  not  try. 

He  entered  the  cabin ;  and,  without  dropping  the 
train  of  thought  which  Julia's  presence  suggested,  he 
busied  himself  in  making  the  place  more  comfortable. 
He  shook  up  the  straw,  and  made  his  bed,  stuffed 
dried  glass  into  the  chinks  and  crannies  in  the  roof^ 
fastened  the  do~>r  up  with   some   buch  withes,  and 


»»2  THY    A.GAIN;     OB,    THE    TKIAL8 

replaced  some  of  the  stones  of  the  chimney  'which 
had  fallen  down.  This  work  occupied  him  for  nearly 
two  hours,  though,  so  busy  were  his  thoughts,  they 
■earned  not  more  than  half  an  hour. 

He  had  scarcely  finished  making  these  necessary 
repairs  before  he  heard  the  light  step  of  her  who  fed 
him,  as  Elijah  was  fed  by  the  ravens,  for  it  seemed 
ake  a  providential  supply.  She  saw  him  at  the  door 
of  the  cabin ;  and  she  no  longer  dallied  with  a  walk, 
but  ran  with  all  her  might. 

"  O  Harry,  I  am  so  glad!  "  she  cried,  out  of  breath, 
as  she  handed  him  a  little  basket,  whose  contents 
were  carefully  covered  with  a  piece  of  brown  paper. 

"  Glad  of  what,  Julia  ? "  asked  Harry,  smiling 
from  sympathy  with  her. 

"  I  have  heard  all  about  it ;  and  I  am  so  glad  you 
are  a  good  boy ! "  exclaimed  she,  panting  like  a 
pretty  fawn  which  hs»4  gambolled  its    breath  away, 

"  About  what  ?  " 

"  Father  has  seen  and  talked  with  —  who  was 
he?" 

Harry  laughed.  How  could  he  tell  whom  hei 
father  hal  seen  and  talked  with?  He  was  not  a 
Viagician. 


A.ND    TKIUMrHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  138 

"  The  man  that  owned  the  dog,  and  the  horse,  and 
the  boat." 

"  0 !  George  Leman,"  replied  Harry,  now  deeply 
interested  in  the  little  maiden's  story.  "  Where 
did  he  see  him  ?  " 

"  Over  at  the  store.  But  I  have  brought  you 
some  dinner ;  and  while  you  are  eating  it,  I  will  tell 
you  all  about  it.  Come,  there  is  a  nice  big  rock  — - 
that  shall  be  your  table." 

Julia,  full  of  excitement,  seized  the  basket,  and 
ran  to  the  rock,  a  little  way  from  the  cabin.  Pulling 
off  half  a  dozen  great  oak  leaves  from  a  shrub,  she 
placed  them  on  the  rock. 

"  Here  is  a  piece  of  meat,  Harry,  on  this  plate," 
she  continued,  putting  it  on  an  oak  leaf;  "  here  is  a 
piece  of  pie ;  here  is  some  bread  and  butter ;  here  is 
cheese ;  and  here  is  a  piece  of  cold  apple  pudding. 
There  !  I  forgot  the  sauce." 

"  Never  mind  the  sauce,"  said  Harry ;  and  ha 
roald  hardly  keep  from  bursting  into  tears,  as  he 
saw  how  good  the  little  angel  was. 

lc  seemed  as  though  she  could  not  have  been  more 
tn  angel,  if  she  had  had  a  pair  of  wings.  The  r* 
12 


131  1EY  again;    or,  the  trials 

riiant  face  was  there ;  the  pure  and  loving  heart  wat 
there ;  all  was  there  but  the  wings,  and  he  could 
easily  imagine  them. 

And  what  a  dinner !  Roast  beef,  pudding,  pie  ! 
He  was  not  much  accustomed  to  such  luxuries ;  but 
just  then  he  did  not  appreciate  the  sumptuousness 
of  the  feast,  for  it  was  eclipsed  by  the  higher  consid- 
eration of  the  devotion  of  the  giver. 

"  Come,  eat,  Harry !     I  am  so  glad  !  "  added  Julia. 

"  So  am  I.  If  you  feed  me  as  high  as  this,  I 
shall  want  to  stay  here  a  good  while." 

"  I  hope  you  will." 

"  Only  to-day ;  to-morrow  I  must  be  moving  to- 
wards Boston." 

"  I  was  hoping  you  would  stay  here  a  good  long 
while.  I  shall  be  so  pleased  to  bring  you  your  break- 
fast, and  dinner,  and  supper  every  day  !  " 

"  Your  father  would  not  like  it." 

"  I  don't  know  why  he  shouldn't.  You  are 
not  very  hungry ;  you  don't  eat  as  you  did  this 
morning." 

"I  ate  so  much  then.  T^ll  me,  now,  what  your 
father  said,  Julia." 


i  N D    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  135 

"He  siw  George  Leman  ;  ind  he  told  him  how 
you  tied  his  horse  to  the  fence,  and  how  careful  you 
were  to  put  the  blanket  on  him,  so  that  he  shouldn't 
ealrli  rnl<i  after  his  hard  run.  That  was  very  kind 
of  you,  Harry,  when  you  knew  they  were  after  you. 
Father  said  almost  any  one  would  have  run  the  horse 
till  he  dropped  down.  That  one  thing  showed  that 
fon  were  not  a  bad  boy." 

"  I  wouldn't  have  injured  George  Leman  for  any 
thing,"  added  Harry.  "  He's  a  good  fellow,  and 
never  did  me  any  harm." 

"  He  said,  when  he  found  his  horse,  he  was  so 
glad  he  wouldn't  have  chased  you  any  farther  for  all 
the  world.  He  told  father  what  ilr.  Xason  said 
about  you  —  that  you  were  a  good  boy,  had  good 
feelings,  and  were  willing  to  work.  He  didn't  blame 
you  for  not  wanting  tc  go  to  Jacob  Wire's  —  wasn't 
that  the  man  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  he  didn't  blame  you  for  running  away. 
Nobody  believes  that  you  set  the  barn  afire  ;  and, 
Harry,  they  have  caught  the  other  boy  —  Ben  Smart, 
wasn't  it  ? " 

"  Yes,  that  was  his  name  " 


136  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

"  They  caught  him  in  the  woods,  over  the  othei 
Bide  of  the  river." 

"  I)id  you  find  out  whether  the  dog  was  killed?** 
nskei  Harry. 

"  Mr.  Leman  said  he  thought  he  would  get  ove. 
it ;  and  he  has  got  his  boat  again." 

"  I  am  glad  of  that ;  and  if  any  body  ever  catches 
me  with  such  a  fellow  as  Ben  Smart  again,  they'll 
know  it." 

"  You  can't  think  how  I  wanted  to  tell  father 
where  you  were,  when  he  spoke  so  well  of  you.  Ho 
even  said  he  hoped  you  would  get  off,  and  that  you 
must  be  in  th«  woods  around  here  somewhere.  You 
will  let  me  tell  him  now  —  won't  you,  Harry  ?  " 
f  I  think  not." 

"  Why  not,  Harry  ?  " 

"  He  may  hope  I  will  get  off,  and  still  not  be  will- 
ing to  help  me  off." 

Juli  i  looked  very  much  disappointed ;  for  she  had 
depended  upon  surprising  her  father  with  fhe  story 
of  the  snake,  and  the  little  fugitive  in  the  woods. 

"  He  will  be  very  good  to  you,"  pleaded  she. 

"  I  dare  say  he  would ;  but  he  may  think  it  hii 


AND    TKIUMPHS    OF    HAHBV    WE8T.  1  -i7 

duty  to  send  me  back  to  Redfield;  ani  Squire  Walk* 
er  would  certainly  make  me  go  to  Jacob  Wire's." 

"  But  you  won't  go  yet." 

"  To-morrow,  Julia." 

M  I'm  afraid  you  will  never  get  to  Boston." 

"  O,  yes,  I  shall.  I  don't  think  it  is  safe  for  me 
to  stay  here  much  longer." 

"  Why  not  ?  Hardly  any  one  ever  goes  through 
the  woods  here  at  this  time  of  year  but  myself." 

"  Didn't  your  mother  want  to  know  what  you 
were  going  to  do  with  the  dinner  you  brought  me  ?  " 

"  No,  I  went  to  the  store  room,  and  got  it.  She 
didn't  see  me ;  but  I  don't  like  to  do  any  thing  un- 
known to  her." 

"  You  mustn't  do  it  again." 

"  You  must  have  something  to  eat." 

'*  You  have  brought  enough  to  last  me  while  1 
itop  here.  To-morrow  morning  I  must  start ;  so  I 
suppose  I  shall  not  see  you  again.  But  I  shall  never 
forget  you,"  said  Harry,  locking  as  sad  as  he  felt. 

"  Xo,  you  mustn't  go  off  without  any  breakfast. 
Promise  me  you  will  not  go  till  I  have  brought  yon 
some." 


138  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIAL8 

Harry  assured  Julia  he  had  enough,  and  ried  Ifi 
persuade  her  not  to  bring  him  any  more  food ;  bu« 
Julia  was  resolute,  and  he  was  obliged  to  promise 
Having  finished  his  dinner,  she  gathered  up  the  rem- 
nants of  the  feast,  and  put  them  in  the  cabin  for  hia 
supper.  She  was  afraid  to  remain  any  longer,  lest 
she  might  be  missed  at  home ;  and  Harry  gallantly 
escorted  her  beyond  the  brook  on  her  return  home. 

He  busied  himself  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
afternoon  in  gathering  dry  grass  and  dead  leaves  for 
the  improvement  of  his  bed  in  the  cabin.  About  an 
hour  before  sundown,  he  was  surprised  to  receive 
another  visit  from  Julia  Bryant.  She  had  her  little 
basket  in  one  hand,  and  in  the  other  she  carried  a 
little  package. 

"  I  didn't  expect  to  see  you  again,"  said  Harry,  as 
she  approached. 

"  I  don't  know  as  you  will  like  what  I  have  done," 
shfi  began,  timidly  ;  "  but  I  did  it  for  the  best." 

"  I  shall  like  any  thing  that  you  have  done,"  an- 
swered Harry,  promptly,  "  even  if  you  should  send 
mo  back  to  lledfield." 

"  I  wouldn't  do  such  a  mean  thing  as  that ;  but  ] 
have  toid  somebodv  that  you  are  here." 


A  m    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  189 

44  Huve  you  ?  "  asked  Harry,  not  a  little  alarmed. 

"  You  will  forgive  me  if  I  have  done  wrong  — ■ 
won  t  you: 

Harry  looked  at  her.  He  mistook  her  anxious 
appearance  for  sorrow  at  what  she  had  done.  He 
could  no4  give  her  pain ;  so  he  told  her  that,  what- 
ever she  had  done,  she  was  forgiven. 

"  But  vchom  have  you  told." 

"  John  Lane." 

"Who  is  he?" 

"  Mrs.  Lane's  oldest  son.  He  drives  the  baggage 
«iigon  that  goes  to  Boston  every  week.  He  prom- 
ted  not  to  lisp  a  word  to  a  single  soul,  and  that  he 
^ould  be  your  friend  for  my  sake." 

"  Why  did  you  tell  him?" 

"  Well,  you  see,  I  was  afraid  you  would  never  get 
to  Boston;  and  I  thought  what  a  nice  thing  it  would 
be  if  you  could  only  ride  all  the  way  there  with  John 
Lane.  John  likes  me  because  I  carry  things  to  hia 
mother,  and  I  am  sure  he  won't  tell." 

44  How  good  you  are,  Julia!"  exclaimed  lL.rry, 
*4 1  may  forget  every  body  else  in  the  wjrld;  bat  1 
thall  never  forgot  you." 


£40  TRY   AGAIN  ;    OB,    THE    TRIALS 

A  tear  moistened  his  eye,  as  he  uttered  his  enthu- 
iiastic  declaration. 

'*  The  worst  of  it  is,  John  starts  at  two  o'clock— 
right  in  the  middle  of  the  night." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  replied  Harr)r,  wiping  iviay 
the  tear. 

"  You  will  take  the  wagon  on  the  turnpike,  whew 
the  cart  path  comes  out.     P-ii  you  won't-  wake  up." 

"  Yes,  I  shall." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  have  yo^  go ;  for  I  like  you, 
Harry.  You  will  be  a  very  good  boy,  when  you  gel 
to   Boston ;  for  they  say  the  city  is  a  wicked  place." 

"  I  will  try." 

"  There  are  a  great  many  temptations  there,  peopl* 
say." 

"  I  shall  try  to  be  as  good  as  you  are,"  replied 
Harry,  who  could  imagine  nothing  better.  "  If  1 
fail  once,  I  shall  try  again." 

"  Here,  Harry,  I  have  brought  you  a  good  book  — - 
the  best  of  all  books.  I  have  written  your  name 
and  mine  in  it ;  and  I  hope  you  will  keep  it  and  read 
it  as  long  as  you  live.     It  is  the  Bible." 

Harry  took  the  package,  and  thanked  her  for  it 


ASD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEKT    "WEST.  Ill 

"I  never  read  the  Bible  much;  but  I  shall  lead 
this  for  your  sake." 

"  No,  Harry ;  read  it  for  your  own  sake." 

"  I  will,  Julia." 

"  How  I  shall  long  to  hear  from  you  !  John  Lane 
goes  to  Boston  every  week.  Won't  you  write  me 
a  few  lines,  now  and  then,  to  let  me  know  how  you 
prosper,  and  whether  you  are  good  or  not  ?  " 

"  I  will.  I  can't  write  much ;  but  I  suppose  I 
can " 

*'  Never  mind  how  you  write  it,  if  I  can  only 
read  it." 

The  sun  had  gone  down,  and  the  dark  shadows 
of  night  were  gathering  over  the  forest  when  they 
parted,  but  a  short  distance  from  Mr.  Bryant's  house. 
With  the  basket  which  contained  provisions  foi  bis 
journey  and  the  Bible  in  his  hand,  he  returned  to 
the  hut,  to  get  what  sleep  he  might  before  the  wagon 
ttarted. 


Ii2  tky  again:  ok.  the  trials 


CHAPTER    XI. 

IK  WHICH  HARRY  REACHES  THE  CUT,  AND  THOUGH 
OFTEN    DISAPPOINTED,  TRIES    AGAIN. 

Harry  entered  the  cabin,  and  stretched  himself 
on  his  bed  of  straw  and  leaves  ;  but  the  fear  that  he 
should  not  wake  in  season  to  take  the  wagon  at  the 
appointed  place,  would  scarcely  permit  him  to  close 
his  eyes.  He  had  not  yet  made  up  for  the  sleep  he 
had  lost ;  and  Nature,  not  sharing  his  misgiving,  at 
last  closed  and  sealed  his  eyelids. 

It  would  be  presumptuous  for  me  to  attempt  to 
inform  the  reader  what  Harry  dreamed  about  on  that 
eventful  night ;  but  I  can  guess  that  it  was  about 
angels,  about  bright  faces  and  sweet  smiles,  ard  that 
they  were  very  pleasant  dreams.  At  any  rate,  ha 
slspt  very  soundly,  as  tired  boys  are  apt  to  sleep, 
even  when  they  arc  anxious  about  gt  tting  up  earl} 
in  the  morning. 


AND    TBIUMPHS    OF    HAERT    WEST.  145 

He  woke,  at  last,  with  a  start ;  for  with  his  first 
consciousness  came  the  remembrance  of  the  early 
\ppointment.  He  sprang  from  his  bed,  and  threw 
down  the  door  of  the  cabin.  It  was  still  dark ;  the 
stars  twinkled  above,  the  owls  screamed,  and  the 
frogs  sang  merrily  around  him.  He  had  no  means 
of  ascertaining  the  time  of  night.  It  might  be 
twelve  ;  it  might  be  four  ;  and  his  uncertainty  on 
this  point  filled  him  with  anxiety.  Better  to  <  early 
than  too  late ;  and  grasping  the  basket  and  thr  Bible, 
which  were  to  be  the  companions  of  his  journey,  he 
hastened  down  the  cart  path  to  the  turnpike. 

There  was  no  sound  of  approaching  wheels  to 
cheer  him,  and  the  clock  in  the  meeting  house  at 
Rockville  obstinately  refused  to  strike.  He  reached 
the  designated  place ;  there  was  no  wagon  there. 
Perhaps  he  was  too  late.  The  thought  filled  him 
with  chagrin ;  and  he  was  reading  himself  a  very 
8C7ere  lesson  for  having  permitted  himself  to  sleep 
at  all,  when  the  church  clock  graciously  condescended 
to  relieve  his  anxiety  by  striking  the  hour. 

"  One,*'  said  he,  almost  breathless  with  interest. 

"  Two,"  he  repeated,  loud  enough  to  be  heard,  U 
tnere  had  been  an"  one  to  hear  him. 


144  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OE,    THE    TKIAL8 

**  Three ; "  and  he  held  his  breath,  waiting  for 
more. 

"  No  more  !  "  he  added,  with  disappointment  and 
chagrin,  when  it  was  certain  that  the  clock  did  not 
mean  to  strike  another  stroke.  "  I  have  lost  my 
chance.  What  a  fool  I  have  been  !  Miss  Julia  will 
think  that  I  am  a  smart  fellow,  when  she  finds  tL- 
her  efforts  to  get  me  off  have  been  wasted.  Why 
did  I  go  to  sleep  ?  I  might  have  known  that  i 
should  not  wake ;  "  and  he  stamped  his  foot  upon 
the  ground  with  impatience. 

He  had  been  caught  napping,  and  had  lost  the 
wagon.  He  was  never  so  mortified  in  his  life.  One 
who  was  so  careless  did  not  deserve  to  succeed. 

H  One  thing  is  clear  —  it  is  no  use  to  cry  for  spilt 
milk,"  muttered  he,  as  he  jumped  over  the  fenc? 
into  the  road.     "  I  have  been  stupid,  but  try  again." 

Unfortunately,  there  was  no  chance  to  try  again. 
Like  thousands  of  blessed  opportunities,  it  had  passed 
by,  never  to  return.  He  had  come  at  the  eleventh 
hour,  and  the  door  was  closed  against  him.  With 
the  wagon  it  had  been  "  now  or  never." 

Harry  got  over  his  impatience,  and  resolved  th<?.t 


AWD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HA  -5.EY    WEST.  145 

Julia  should  not  come  to  the  cabin,  the  next  morn- 
ing, to  find  he  had  slept  when  the  htidegroom  came. 
He  had  a  pair  of  legs,  and  there  was  the  road.  It 
was  no  use  to  "  wait  for  the  wagon : "  legs  were 
made  before  wagon  wheels  :  and  he  started  on  the 
long  and  weary  pilgrimage. 

He  had  not  advanced  ten  paces  before  pleasant 
sounds  reached  his  ears.  He  stopped  short,  and 
listened.  A  wagon  was  certainly  approaching,  and 
his  heart  leaped  high  with  hope.  Was  it  pos- 
sible that  John  Lane  had  not  yet  gone  ?  Retracing 
his  steps,  he  got  over  the  fence  at  the  place  where 
John  was  to  take  him.  Perhaps  it  was  not  he,  afte 
all.  He  had  no  right  to  suppose  it  was ;  but  hn 
determined  to  wait  till  the  wagon  had  passed. 

The  rumbling  noise  grew  more  distinct.     It  was  a 

heavy  wagon,  heavily  loaded,   and  approached  very 

slowly;  but  at  last  it  reached  the   spot  where   the 

impatient  boy  was  waiting. 

**  Whoa  !  "  said  the  driver  ;  and  the  horses  stopped. 

Harry's  heart  bounded  with  joy.  Some  lucky 
accident  had  detained  the  team,  and  he  had  regained 
his  opportunity. 

13 


146  TKY    AGAIN;     OK,    THE    XRla.1,8 

•'  Harry  West !  "  said  lie  on  the  wagon. 

"  Jonn  Lane  ! "  replied  Harry,  as  he  leaped  ovei 
ihe  fence. 

"  You  are  on  hand,"  added  John  Lane. 

"  I  am ;  but  I  was  sure  you  had  gone.  It  is  aftei 
three  o'clock." 

"  I  know  it.  I  don't  generally  get  off  much  before 
tbis  time,"  answered  John.  "  Climb  up  here,  and 
1st  us  be  moving  on." 

It  was  a  large  wagon,  with  a  sail-cloth  cover  — 
one  of  those  regular  baggage  wagons  which  railroads 
have  almost  driven  out  of  existence  in  Massachusetts. 
It  was  drawn  by  four  horses,  harnessed  two  abreast, 
and  had  a  high  "box"  in  front  for  the  driver. 

Harry  nimbly  climbed  upon  the  box,  and  tool  his 
seat  by  the  side  of  John  Lane  —  though  that  woi  th j 
told  him  he  had  better  crawl  under  the  eover,  wher& 
he  would  find  plenty  of  room  to  finish  lis  nap  on  a 
bale  of  goods. 

"  I  thought  likely  I  should  have  tc  go  up  to  th« 
cabin  and  wake  you.  Julia  told  me  I  must,  if  you 
were  not  on  the  spot." 

*  I  am  glad  I  have  saved  you  that  trouble ;  but 
Julia  said  you  would  start  at  two  o'clock." 


AND    TBICMPHS    OF    F4.BBY    WFST.  14? 

"  Veil.  I  get  off  by  two  or  three  o'clock.  I  don't 
carry  the  mail,  so  I  ain't  so  particular.  "What  do 
you  mean  to  do  when  you  get  to  Boston  r " 

"  I  mean  to  go  to  work." 

«•  What  at  ?  " 

"Any  thing  I  can  find." 

John  Lane  questioned  the  little  wanderer,  and 
drew  from  him  all  the  incidents  of  his  past  history. 
He  seemed  to  feel  an  interest  in  the  fortunes  of  hia 
companion,  and  gave  him  much  good  advice  on  prac- 
tical matters,  including  an  insight  into  life  in  the  city. 

"  I  suppose  Squire  Walker  would  give  me  fits,  if 
he  knew  I  carried  you  off.  He  was  over  to  Rockville 
yesterday  looking  for  you." 

"  He  won't  find  me." 

"  I  hope  not,  my  boy ;  though  I  don't  know  as  1 
should  have  meddled  in  the  matter,  if  Julia  hadn't 
teased  me.  I  couldn't  resist  her.  She  is  the  best 
lit  Lie  girl  in  the  world ;  and  you  are  a  lucky  fellow 
to  have  such  a  friend." 

"  I  am ;  she  is  an  angel ;  "  and  when  Harry  began 
to  think  of  Julia,  he  could  not  think  of  any  thing 
else,  and  the  conversation  was  suspended. 


148  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

It  was  a  long  while  before  either  of  them  spokfl 
•gain,  and  then  John  advised  Harry  to  crawl  into  the 
wagon,  and  lie  down  on  the  load.  Notwithstanding 
his  agreeable  thoughts,  our  hero  yawned  now  and 
then,  and  concluded  to  adopt  the  suggestion  of  the 
driver.  He  found  a  very  comfortable  bed  on  the 
bales,  softened  by  heaps  of  mattings,  which  were  to 
be  used  in  packing  the  miscellaneous  articles  of  the 
return  freight. 

John  Lane  took  things  very  easily ;  and  as  the 
horses  jogged  slowly  along,  he  relieved  the  monotony 
of  the  journey  by  singing  sundry  old-fashioned  psalm 
tunes,  which  had  not  then  gone  out  of  use.  He  was 
a  good  singer ;  and  Harry  was  so  pleased  with  the 
music,  and  so  unaccustomed  to  the  heavy  jolt  of  the 
wagon,  that  he  could  not  go  to  sleep  at  once. 

"  While  shepherds  watched  their  Hocks  by  night, 
All  seated  on  the  ground, 
The  angel  of  the  Lord  came  down, 
And  glory  shone  around." 

Again  Mid  again  John's  full  and  sonorous  voice  rolled 
out  these  familiar  lines,  till  Harry  was  fairly  lulled 
to  sleep  by  the  harmonious  measures.     The  angel  o« 


AND    TRIVMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  149 

the  Lord  had  come  down  for  the  fortieth  time,  after 
the  manner  of  the  ancient  psalmody,  and  for  the 
fortieth  time  Harry  had  thought  of  his  angel,  when 
he  dropped  off  to  dream  of  the  "glory  that  shone 
around." 

Harry  slept  soundly  after  he  got  a  little  used  to 
the  rough  motion  of  the  wagon,  and  it  was  sunrise 
before  he  woke. 

"  Well,  Harry,  how  do  you  feel  now  ? "  asked 
John,  as  he  emerged  from  his  lodging  apartment. 

"  Better ;  I  feel  as  bright  as  a  new  pin.  Where 
are  we  ? " 

"  We  have  come  about  twelve  miles.  Pretty  soon 
we  shall  stop  to  bait  the  team  and  get  some  break- 
fast." 

"  I  have  got  some  breakfast  in  my  basket.  Julia 
gave  me  enough  to  last  a  week.  I  shan't  starve,  at 
any  rate." 

"  No  one  would  ever  be  hungry  in  this  world,  :i 
every  body  were  like  Julia.  But  you  shall  break  fat 
with  me  at  the  tavern." 

"  It  won't  be  safe  —  will  it  ?  " 

**  O,  yes ;  nobody  will  know  you  here." 
13* 


£5C  TRY    AGAIN;     OB,    THE    TRIALS 

"  Well,  I  have  got  some  money  to  pay  for  anj 
Ibing  I  have." 

"  Keep  your  money,  Harry ;  you  will  want  it  all 
when  you  get  to  Boston." 

After  going  a  few  miles  farther,  they  stopped  at 
a  tavern,  where  the  horses  were  fed,  and  Harry  ate 
such  a  breakfast  as  pauper  never  ate  before.  John 
would  not  let  him  pay  for  it,  declaring  that  Julia's 
friends  were  his  friends. 

The  remaining  portion  of  the  journey  was  effected 
without  any  incident  worthy  of  narrating,  and  they 
reached  the  city  about  noon.  Of  course  the  first 
sight  of  Boston  astonished  Harry.  His  conceptions 
of  a  city  were  entirely  at  fault ;  and  though  it  was 
not  a  very  large  city  twenty-five  years  ago,  it  ftj 
exceeded  his  expectations. 

Harry  had  a  mission  before  him,  and  he  did  not 
permit  his  curiosity  to  interfere  with  that.  John 
drove  down  town  to  deliver  his  load ;  and  Harry 
went  with  him,  improving  every  opportunity  to  ob- 
tain work.  When  the  wagon  stopped,  he  went  boldly 
into  the  stores  in  the  vicinity  to  inquire  if  thej 
"wanted  to  hire  a  hand." 


AND    TRIUMFHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  151 

Now,  Harry  was  not  exactly  in  a  .ondition  to  pTO 
iuce  a  very  favorable  impression  upon  those  to  whorr 
he  applied  for  work.  His  clothes  were  never  very 
((enteal,  nor  very  artistically  cut  aud  made ;  and  they 
were  threadbare,  and  patched  at  the  knees  and  el- 
bows. A  patch  is  no  disgrace  to  a  man  or  boy,  it  is 
true ;  but  if  a  little  more  care  had  been  taken  > 
e.dapt  the  color  and  kind  of  fabric  in  Harry's  patches 
to  the  original  garment,  his  general  appearance  would 
undoubtedly  have  been  much  improved.  Whether 
these  patches  really  affected  his  ultimate  success  I 
cannot  say  —  only  that  they  were  an  inconvenience 
at  the  outset. 

£t  was  late  in  the  afternoon  before  John  Lane  had 
nnloaded  his  merchandise  and  picked  up  his  return 
freight.  Thus  far  Harry  had  been  unsuccessful ;  no 
one  wanted  a  boy  ;  or  if  they  did,  they  did  not  want 
such  a  boy  as  Harry  appeared  to  be.  His  country 
garb,  with  the  five  broad  patches,  seemed  to  interfere 
with  the  working  out  of  his  manifest  destii  y.  Yet 
he  was  not  disheartened.  Spruce  clerks  and  ill-man- 
nered boys  laughed  at  him  ;   but  he  did  not  despond. 

"  Try  again,"  exclaimed  he,  as  often  as  he  was  toi<» 
•hat  his  services  were  not  required. 


152  iet  again;   or,  the  trials 

When  the  wagon  reached  "Washington  Street^ 
Harry  wanted  to  walk,  for  the  better  prosecution  of 
his  object ;  and  John  gave  him  directions  so  that  he 
could  find  Major  Phillips's  stable,  where  he  intended 
eo  put  up  for  the  night. 

Harry  trotted  along  among  the  gay  and  gentee. 
people  that  thronged  the  sidewalk ;  but  he  was  bo 
earnest  about  his  mission,  that  he  could  not  stop  to 
look  at  their  fine  clothes,  nor  even  at  the  pictures, 
the  gewgaws,  and  gimcracks  that  tempted  him  from 
the  windows. 

"  '  Boy  wanted ' "  Harry  read  on  a  paper  in  the 
window  of  a  jeweller's  shop.  "  Now's  my  time  ;  " 
and,  without  pausing  to  consider  the  chances  that 
were  against  him,  he  entered  the  store. 

"  You  want  a  boy  —  don't  you  ?  "  asked  he  of  a 
young  man  behind  the  counter. 

"  We  do,"  replied  the  person  addressed,  looking 
at  the  applicant  with  a  broad  grin  on  his  face. 

41 1  should  like  to  hire  out,"  continued  Harry,  with 
an  earnestness  that  would  have  secured  the  attention 
T>f  any  man  but  an  idiot. 

"  Do  you  ?     Your  name  is  Joseph  —  isn't  it  ?  " 


AND    TEIUMPHS    OF    HAEEY    WEST.  15^ 

"  No,  sir ;  my  name  is  Harry  West." 

"  O,  I  thought  it  was  Joseph.  The  Book  vys  tn 
oad  a  coat  of  many  colors,  though  I  bel;evo  it  don't 
Bay  any  thing  about  the  trousers,"  sneered  the  shop- 
keeper. 

"  Never  mind  the  coat  or  the  trousers.  If  ycu 
want  to  hire  a  boy,  I  will  do  the  best  I  can  fcr  you," 
replied  Harry,  willing  to  appreciate  the  joke  of  the 
other,  if  he  could  get  a  place. 

"  You  won't  answer  for  us  ;  you  come  from  thg 
country." 

"  I  did." 

""What  did  you  come  to  Boston  for?" 

"  After  work." 

"  You  had  better  go  back,  and  let  yourself  to 
gome  farmer.  You  will  make  a  good  scarecrow  to 
hang  up  in  the  field  No  crow  would  ever  come  neai 
you,  I'll  warrant." 

Harry's  blood  boiled  with  indignation  at  this  gra- 
tuitous insult.  His  cheeks  reddened,  and  he  looked 
about  him  for  the  means  of  inflicting  summary  ven- 
geance upon  the  poltroon  who  so  wantonly  trifled 
with  his  glowing  aspirations. 


154  TRY    AGAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TRIALS 

"Move  on,  boy;  we  don't  want  you,"  added  tin 
man 

"  You  are  a " 


I  will  not  write  what  Harry  said.  It  was  a  vulgar 
erithet,  coupled  with  a  numerous  oath  for  so  small 
a  boy  to  utter.  The  shopkeeper  sprang  out  from  hia 
counter ;  but  Harry  retreated,  and  escaped  him, 
though  not  till  he  had  repeated  the  vulgar  and  pro- 
fane expression. 

But  be  was  sorry  for  what  he  had  said  before  he 
had  gone  ten  paces. 

"  What  would  the  little  angel  say,  if  she  had 
heard  that  ?  "  Harry  asked  himself.  "  Twon't  do ; 
Intuit  try  again." 


AHD    TBIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  156 


CHAPTER    XII. 

ID    WHICH    HARRY    SUDDENLY    GETS    RICH,  AND   HA* 
A    CONVERSATION    WITH    ANOTHER    HARRY. 

By  the  time  he  reached  the  stable,  Harry  would 
have  given  almost  any  thing  to  have  recalled  the  hasty 
expressions  he  had  used.  He  had  acquired  the  low 
and  vulgar  habit  of  using  profane  language  at  the 
poorhouse.  He  was  conscious  that  it  was  not  only 
wicked  to  do  so,,  but  that  it  was  very  offensive  to 
many  persons  who  did  not  make  much  pretension  to 
piety,  or  even  morality ;  and,  in  summing  up  his 
faults  in  the  woods,  he  had  included  this  habit  as  one 
of  the  worst. 

She  hoped  he  was  a  good  boy  —  Julia  Bryant,  the 
little  angel,  hoped  so.  Her  blood  would  have  frozen 
in  her  veins  if  she  had  listened  to  the  irreverent 
words  he  had  uttered  in  the  shop.  He  had  broken 
his  resolution,  broken  his  promise  to  the  little  ar.gel. 


156  try  again;   ok,  the  trials 

on  the  first  day  he  had  been  in  the  city.  It  was  0 
bad  beginning;  but  instead  of  permitting  this  fiist 
failure  to  do  right  to  discourage  him,  he  determined 
to  persevere  —  to  try  again. 

A  good  life,  a  lofty  character,  with  all  the  trials 
and  sacrifices  which  it  demands,  is  worth  working 
for ;  and  those  who  mean  to  grow  better  than  they  aie 
will  often  be  obliged  to  "  try  again."  The  spirit  may 
be  willing  to  do  well,  but  the  flesh  is  weak,  and  we 
are  all  exposed  to  temptation.  We  may  make  our 
good  resolutions  —  and  it  is  very  easy  to  make  them  3 
but  when  we  fail  to  keep  them  —  it  is  sometimes 
very  hard  to  keep  them  —  we  must  not  be  discour- 
aged, but  do  as  Harry  did  —  try  again.  The  strong 
Spirit  may  conquer  the  weak  Flesh. 

'*  Well,  Harry,  how  did  you  make  out  ?  "  asked 
John  Lane,  when  Harry  joined  him  at  the  stable. 

"  I  didn't  make  aut  at  all.  Nobody  seems  to  want 
a  boy  like  me." 

"  O,  well,  you  will  find  a  place.  Don't  be  dig. 
couraged." 

"  1  am  not.     To-morrow  I  shall  try  again." 

"  I  don't  know  what  I  shall  do  with  you  to-nighl 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARKY    WEST.  1  bT 

Every  bed  in  the  tavern  up  the  street,  where  1  step, 
is  full.     I  shall  sleep  with  another  teamster." 

"  Never  mind  me ;  I  can  sleep  in  the  wagon.  I 
have  slept  in  worse  places  than  that." 

"  I  will  fix  a  place  for  you,  then." 

After  they  had  prepared  his  bed,  Harry  drew  out 
his  basket,  and  proceeded  to  eat  his  supper.  He  then 
took  a  walk  down  Washington  Street  with  John, 
went  to  an  auction,  and  otherwise  amused  himself 
till  after  nine  o'clock,  when  he  returned  to  the 
stable. 

After  John  had  left  him,  as  he  was  walking  towards 
the  wagon,  with  the  intention  of  retiring  for  the 
night,  his  foot  struck  against  something  which  at- 
tracted his  attention.  He  kicked  it  once  or  twice,  to 
determine  what  it  was,  and  then  picked  it  up. 

"  By  gracious  !  "  he  exclaimed  ;  "  it  is  a  pocket 
book.  My  fortune  is  made  ;  "  and  without  stopping 
tc  consider  the  matter  any  further,  he  scrambled  into 
the  wagon. 

His  heart  jumped  with  excitement,  fcr  his  viviu 
imagination  had  already  led  him  to  the  conclusion 
mat  it  was  stuffed  full  of  rroney.  It  might  contain 
14 


158  TKT    A. GAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

ft  hundred  dollars,  perhaps  five  hundred  ;  and  these 
sums  were  about  as  far  as  his  ideas  could  reach. 

He  could  buy  a  suit  of  new  clothes,  a  new  cap, 
new  shoes,  and  be  as  spruce  as  any  of  the  boys  he 
had  seen  about  the  city.  Then  he  could  go  to  a 
boarding  house,  and  live  like  a  prince,  till  he  could 
get  a  place  that  suited  him ;  for  Harry,  however  rich 
he  might  be,  did  not  think  of  living  without  labor  of 
some  kind.  He  could  dress  himself  up  in  fine  broad- 
cloth, present  himself  at  the  jeweller's  shop  where 
they  wanted  a  boy,  and  then  see  whether  he  would 
make  a  good  scarecrow. 

Then  his  thoughts  reverted  to  the  cabin,  where  he 
had  slept  two  nights,  and,  of  course,  to  the  little 
angel,  who  had  supplied  the  commissary  department 
during  his  sojourn  in  the  woods.  He  could  dress 
himself  up  with  the  money  in  the  pocket  book,  and, 
after  a  while,  when  he  got  a  place,  take  the  stage  for 
Rockville.  Wouldn't  she  be  astonished  to  see  him 
then,  in  fine  broadcloth  !  Wouldn't  she  walk  with 
him  over  to  the  spot  where  he  had  killed  the  black 
enake  !  Wouldn't  she  be  proud  to  tell  her  father  that 
this  was  the  boy  she  had  fed  in  the  woods  I 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEEY    WEST.  15S 

What  would  she  say  to  him?  He  had  promised  to 
write  to  her  when  he  got  settled,  and  tell  her  how  he 
got  along,  and  whether  he  was  good  or  not.  What 
should  he  say  ?  How  glad  she  would  be  to  near  fhat 
he  was  getting  along  so  finely  ! 

"  Stop  !  "  said  he  to  himself.  "  "What  have  I  been 
thinking  about  ?     This  pocket  book  isn't  mine." 

I  am  sorry  to  say  it,  but  Harry  really  felt  sad  whtn 
the  thought  occurred  to  him.  He  had  been  building 
very  pretty  air  castles  on  this  money,  and  this  reflec- 
tion suddenly  tumbled  them  all  down  —  new  clothes, 
new  cap,  boarding  house,  visit  to  Rockville  —  all  in 
a  heap. 

"  But  I  found  it,"  Harry  reasoned  with  himself. 

Something  within  him  spoke  out,  saying,  — 

"  You  stole  it,  Harry." 

44  No,  I  didn't ;  I  found  it." 

"  If  you  don't  return  it  to  the  ow  ler,  you  will  be 
a  thief,"  continued  the  voice  within. 

"Nobody  will  know  that  I  found  it.  I  dare  gaj 
the  owner  does  not  want  it  half  so  much  as  1  do," 

"  No  matter  for  that,  Harry  ;  if  you  keep  it  yog 
will  be  a  thief." 


160  try  again;   or,  the  trials 

He  could  not  compromise  with  that  voice  withiij. 
It  was  the  real  Harry,  within  the  other  Harry,  that 
spoke,  and  he  was  a  very  obstinate  fellow,  positively 
refusing  to  let  him  keep  the  pocket  book,  at  any 
rate. 

"  What  am  I  about  ?  She  hoped  I  would  be  a 
good  boy,  and  the  evil  one  is  catching  me  as  fast  as 
he  can,"  resumed  Harry. 

"  Be  a  good  boy,"  added  the  other  Harry. 

"  I  mean  to  be,  if  I  can." 

"  The  little  angel  will  be  very  sad  when  she  finds 
out  that  you  are  a  thief." 

"  I  don't  mean  to  be  a  thief.  But  this  pocket  book 
will  make  me  rich.  She  never  will  know  any  thing 
about  it." 

"  If  she  does  not,  there  is  One  above  who  will 
know,  and  his  angels  will  frown  upon  you,  and 
stamp  your  crime  upon  your  face.  Then  you  will  go 
about  like  Cain,  with  a  mark  upon  you." 

"  Pooh !  "  said  the  outer  Harry,  who  was  sorely 
tempted  by  the  treasure  within  his  grasp. 

"  You  will  not  dare  to  look  the  little  angel  in  the 
face,  if  you  steal  this   money.     She  will  know  you 


ASD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEKY    "WE3T.  161 

we  not  good,  then.  Honest  folks  always  hold  their 
heads  up,  and  are  never  ashamed  to  face  any  per- 
son." 

"  I  won't  keep  it !  "  replied  the  struggling,  tempt- 
ed Flesh.      "  Why  did  I  think  of  such  a  thing  ? :' 

He  felt  strong  then,  for  the  Spirit  had  triumphed 
oyer  the  Flesh.  The  foe  within  had  been  beaten 
back,  at  least  for  the  moment ;  and  as  he  laid  his 
head  upon  the  old  coat  that  was  to  serve  him  for  a 
pillow,  he  thought  of  Julia  Bryant.  He  thought  he 
saw  her  sweet  face,  and  there  was  an  angelic  smile 
upon  it. 

My  young  readers  will  remember,  after  Jesus  had 
been  tempted,  and  said,  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan," 
that,  "  behold,  angels  came  and  ministered  unto  him." 
They  came  and  ministered  to  Harry  after  he  had  cast 
out  the  evil  thought  ;  they  come  and  minister  to  all 
who  resist  temptation.  They  come  in  the  heart,  and 
minister  with  the  healing  balm  of  an  approving  con- 
science. 

Placing  the  pocket  book  under  his  head,  with  the 
intention  of  finding  the  owner  in  the  morning,  he 
tyent  to  sleep.  The  fatigue  and  excitement  -)f  th« 
14* 


162  try  again;    or,  the  THIALS 

day  softened  liis  pillow,  and  not  once  did  he  open 
hi*  eyes  till  the  toils  of  another  day  had  commenced 
around  him.  I  question  whether  he  would  have 
sk-pt  so  soundly  if  he  had  decided  to  keep  Ihe 
pocket  book. 

But  the  tempter  was  not  banished.  He  had  onlj 
been  conquered  for  the  moment  —  subdued  only  to 
attack  him  again.  The  first  thought  of  the  treasure, 
in  the  morning,  was  to  covet  it.  Again  he  allowed 
his  fancy  to  picture  the  comforts  and  the  luxuries 
which  it  would  purchase. 

"  No  one  will  know  it,"  he  added.  "  Why 
shouldn't  I  keep  it  ?  " 

"  God  will  know  it ;  you  will  know  it  yourself," 
said  the  other  Harry,  more  faithful  and  conscientious 
than  the  outside  Harry,  who,  it  must  be  confessed, 
was  sometimes  disposed  to  be  the  "  Old  Harry." 

"  No  use  of  being  too  good.     I  will  keep  it." 

"  She  hoped  you  would  b©  a  good  boy,"  added  tha 
monitor  within. 

"  I  will  —  that  is,  when  I  can  afford  it." 

"  Be  good  now,  or  you  never  will." 

One  hundred  dollars  !  —  perhaps  five  hundred  !    H 


kSB    TKIUMPHS    OF    HAS  BY    WEST.  16S 

was  a  fortunp.  The  temptation  was  very  great.  But 
the  little  angel  —  the  act  would  forever  banish  him 
from  her  presence.  He  would  never  dare  to  look  at 
her  again,  or  even  to  write  the  letter  he  had  prom- 
ised. 

"  Be  true  to  yourself,  Harry.  Good  first,  and  rich 
next." 

"  I  will,"  exclaimed  Harry,  in  an  earnest  whisper; 
and  again  the  tempter  was  cast  out. 

Once  more  the  fine  air  castles  began  to  pile  them- 
selves up  before  him,  standing  on  the  coveted  treas 
ure ;  but  he  resolutely  pitched  them  down,  and  ban- 
ished them  from  his  mind. 

"Where  did  you  lose  it?"  said  a  voice  near  the 
wagon. 

"I  don't  know.  I  didn't  miss  it  till  this  morning; 
and  1  have  been  to  every  place  where  1  was  last 
night ;  so  I  think  I  must  have  lost  it  here,  when  1 
put  my  horse  up,"  replied  another. 

The  first  speaker  was  one  of  the  ostlers  ;  and  the 
moment  Harry  heard  the  other  voice  he  s.art^d  as 
though  a  rattlesnake  had  rattled  in  his  path.  "-Yas  i' 
possible  ?     As  the  speaker  proceeded,  he  wa»   sati* 


164  try  again;   ok,  the  trials 

Bed  beyond  thi  possibility  of  a  doubt  that  the  voic4 
belonged  to  Squire  Walker. 

"  Was  there  much  money  in  it  ?  "  asked  the  ostler. 

"  About  a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ;  and  there 
were  notes  and  other  papers  of  great  value,"  replied 
Squire  Walker. 

"Well,  I  haven't  seen  or  heard  any  thing  about  it." 

"  I  remember  taking  it  out  of  my  great-coat  pocket, 
and  putting  it  into  a  pocket  inside  of  my  vest,  when 
I  got  out  of  the  wagon." 

"  I  don't  think  you  lost  it  here.  Some  of  us 
would  have  found  it,  if  you  had." 

Here  was  a  dilemma  for  Harry.  He  had  deter- 
mined to  restore  the  pocket  book ;  but  he  could  not 
do  so  without  exposing  himself.  Besides,  if  there 
had  been  any  temptation  to  keep  the  treasure  before, 
it  was  ten  times  as  great  now  that  he  knew  it  be- 
longed to  his  enemy.  It  would  be  no  sin  to  keep 
it  fiom  Squire  Walker. 

"  It  would  be  stealing,"  said  the  voice  within. 

"  But  if  I  give  it  to  him,  he  will  carry  me  back  tf 
Jacob  Wire's.     I'll  be  —     I'll  be  hanged  if  I  do." 

"  She  hopes  vou  will  be  a  good  boy." 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARBT    WEST.  163 

There  was  no  resisting  this  appeal ;  and  again  the 
demon  was  put  down,  and  the  triumph  added  another 
laurel  to  the  moral  crown  of  the  little  hero. 

"  It  will  be  a  dear  journey  to  me,"  continued 
Squire  Walker.  "  I  was  looking  all  day  yesterday 
alter  a  boy  that  ran  away  from  the  poorhouse,  and 
came  to  the  city  for  him.     I  had  better  let  him  go." 

"  Did  you  find  him  ?  " 

"  No.  I  brought  that  money  down  to  put  in  the 
bank.     It  is  gone,  I  suppose.     Confound  the  boy  ! " 

Harry  waited  no  longer ;  but  while  his  heart  beat 
like  the  machinery  in  the  great  factory  at  Rockville, 
he  tumbled  out  of  his  nest,  and  slid  down  the  bale 
of  goods  to  the  pavement. 

"  Ah,  Master  Harry  West !  you  are  here  —  arc 
you  ?  "  exclaimed  Squire  Walker,  springing  forward 
to  catch  him. 

Harry  dodged,  and  kept  out  of  his  reach. 

"  Catch  him  !  "  shouted  the  squire  to  the  ostler. 

"  Wait  a  minute,  Squire  Walker,"  said  Harry.  "  1 
won't  go  back  to  Jacob  Wire's,  any  how.  Just  heal 
what  I  have  got  to  say ;  and  then,  if  you  want  tc 
take  me,  you  may,  if  you  can." 


[66  TRY    AGATN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

It  was  evident,  even  to  the  squire,  that  Harry  had 
something  of  importance  to  say;  and  he  in\oluntarily 
paused  to  hear  it. 

"  I  have  found  your  pocket  book,  squire,  and * 

"  Give  it  to  me,  and  I  won't  touch  you,"  cried  the 
overseer,  eagerly. 

It  was  clear  that  the  loss  of  his  pocket  book  had 
produced  a  salutary  impression  on  the  squire's  mind. 

He  loved  money,  and  the  punishment  was  more  than 

« 

he  could  bear. 

"  I  was  walking  along  here,  last  night,  when  I 
struck  my  foot  against  something.  I  picked  it  up, 
and  found  it  was  a  pocket  book.  I  haven't  opened 
it.  Here  it  is;"  and  Harry  handed  him  his  lost 
treasure. 

"  By  gracious  ! "  exclaimed  he,  after  he  had  assured 
himself  that  the  contents  of  the  pocket  book  had  not 
been  disturbed.  "  That  is  more  than  ever  I  expected 
of  you,  Master  Harry  West." 

"  I  mean  to  be  honest,"  replied  Harry,  proudly. 

"  Perhaps  you  do.  I  told  you,  Harry,  I  wouldn't 
touch  you ;  and  I  won't,"  continued  the  squire. 
"  You  may  go.' 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF     HAKRY    WEST.  167 

Tl  e  overscpi-  was  amazed.  He  had  come  tc  Bos- 
Ion  with  the  intentijn  of  catching  Haxry,  cost  what 
it  might,  —  he  meant  to  charge  the  expense  t<>  the 
town  ;  but  the  recovery  of  his  money  had  warmed 
his  heart,  and  banished  the  malice  he  cherished  to- 
wards the  boy. 

Squire  Walker  volunteered  some  excellent  advice 
for  the  guidance  of  the  little  pilgrim,  who,  he  face- 
tiously observed,  had  now  no  one  to  look  after  his 
manners  and  morals  —  manners  first,  and  morals 
afterwards.  He  must  be  very  careful  and  prudent, 
and  he  wished  him  well.  Harry,  however,  took  this 
wholesome  counsel  as  from  whom  it  came,  and  was 
not  very  deeply  impressed  by  it. 

John  Lane  came  to  the  stable  soon  after,  and  con- 
gratulated our  hero  upon  the  termination  of  the 
persecution  from  Redfield,  and,  when  his  horses  were 
hitched  on,  bade  him  good  by,  with  many  heart j 
wishes  for  his  future  success. 


168  tey  again:   oa.  wv  trials 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

IN     WHICH     HARRY     BECOMES     A     STABLE     BOY,    AWL 
HEARS    BAD    NEWS    FROM    ROCKVILLE. 

Harry  was  exceedingly  rejoiced  at  the  remarkable 
turn  his  affairs  had  taken.  It  is  true,  he  had  lost 
the  treasure  upon  which  his  fancy  had  built  so  many 
fine  castles ;  but  he  did  not  regret  the  loss,  since  it 
had  purchased  his  exemption  from  the  Redfleld  per- 
secution. He  had  conquered  his  enemy  —  which  waa 
a  great  victory  —  by  being  honest  and  upright ;  and 
he  had  conquered  himself — which  was  a  greater 
victory  —  by  listening  to  the  voice  within  him.  He 
had  resisted  temptation,  and  the  victory  made  him 
strong. 

Our  hero  had  won  a  triumph,  but  the  battle  field 
was  still  spread  out  before  him.  There  were  l.hou» 
lands  of  enemies  lurking  in  his  path,  ready  to  fall 
apon  and  despoil  him  of  his  priceless  treasure  —  hii 
integrity. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAREY    WEST.  16* 

"  She  hoped  he  would  he  a  good  hoy."  He  tiad 
done  his  duty  —  he  had  heen  true  in  the  face  cf 
temptation.  He  wanted  to  write  to  Julia  then,  and 
tell  her  of  his  triumph  —  that,  when  tempted,  he  had 
thought  of  her,  and  won  the  victory. 

The  world  was  before  him  ;  it  had  no  place  for 
idlers,  and  he  must  get  work.  The  contents  of  the 
basket  were  not  yet  exhausted,  and  he  took  it  to  a 
retired  corner  to  eat  his  breakfast.  While  he  waa 
thus  engaged,  Joe  Flint,  the  ostler,  happened  to  see 
him. 

'  That  is  cold  comfort,"  said  he.  "  Why  don'; 
you  go  to  the  tavern,  and  have  your  breakfast  like 
a  gentleman  ?  " 

"  I  can't  afford  it,"  replied  Harry. 

"  Can't  afford  it  ?  How  much  did  the  man  that 
owned  the  pocket  book  give  you  ?  " 

"  Nothing." 

"  Nothing  !  I'm  blamed  if  he  ain't  a  mean  one  !  " 
eiclaimed  Joe,  heartily.  "  I  don't  wonder  you  run 
»way." 

"  I  didn't  want  any  thing.  I  was  too  glad  to  gel 
clear  of  him  to  think  of  any  thing  else." 


170  TBY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

"  Next  time  he  loses  his  pocket  book,  I  hope  hta 
won't  find  it." 

And  with  this  charitable  observation,  Joe  resumed 
bis  labors.  Harry  finished  his  meal,  washed  it  down 
with  a  draught  of  cold  water  at  the  pump,  and  was 
ready  for  business  again.  Unfortunately,  there  was 
no  business  ready  for  him.  All  day  long  he  wan- 
dered about  the  streets  in  search  of  employment ; 
but  people  did  not  appreciate  his  value.  No  one 
would  hire  him  or  have  any  thing  to  do  with  him- 
The  five  patches  on  his  clothes,  he  soon  discovered, 
rendered  it  useless  for  him  to  apply  at  the  stores. 
He  was  not  in  a  condition  to  be  tolerated  about  one 
of  these :  and  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  market, 
the  stables,  and  the  teaming  establishments,  yet  with 
no  better  success.  It  was  in  vain  that  he  tried  again ; 
and  at  night,  weary  and  dispirited,  he  returned  to 
Major  Phillips's  stable. 

His  commissariat  was  not  yet  exhausted  ;  and  he 
made  a  hearty  supper  from  the  basket.  It  became 
an  interesting  question  for  him  to  consider  how  he 
phould  pass  the  night.  He  could  not  afford  to  pay 
i    e  of  his  quarters  for  a  night's  lodging  at  the  taverr 


1ND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEKY    WEST.  ill 

oppc  site.  There  was  the  stable,  however,  if  he  could 
get  permission  to  sleep  there. 

"  May  I  sleep  in  the  hay  loft,  Joe  ?"  he  asked,  an 
the  ostler  passed  him. 

"  Major  Phillips  don't  allow  any  one  to  sleep  in 
tbj  hay  loft ;  but  perhaps  he  will  let  you  sleep  there. 
He  was  asking  about  you  to-day." 

"How  should  he  know  any  thing  about  me?" 
said  Harry,  not  a  little  surprised  to  find  his  fame  had 
gone  before  him. 

"  He  heard  about  the  pocket  book,  and  wanted  to 
see  you.  He  said  it  was  the  meanest  thing  he  evrr 
heard  of,  that  the  man  who  lost  it  didn't  give  you 
any  thing  ;  and  them's  my  sentiments  exactly.  Hen 
comes  the  major ;   I  will  speak  to  him  about  you." 

"  Thank  you,  Joe." 

"  Major  Phillips,  this  boy  wants  to  know  if  he 
may  sleep  in  the  hay  loft  to-night." 

"No,"  replied  the  stable  keeper,  short  as  pie  crust. 

"  This  is  the  boy  that  found  the  pocket  book,  and 
he  hain't  got  no  place  to  sleep." 

"  O,  is  it  ?  Then  I  will  find  a  place  for  him  ta 
sleep.     So,  my  boy,  you  are  an  honest  fellow." 


172  thy  again;  ok,  the  trials 

"  I  tiy  tu  be,"  replied  Harry,  modestly. 

"  If  you  had  kept  the  pocket  book,  you  might 
lave  lodged  at  the  Tremont  House." 

"  I  had  rather  sleep  in  your  stable,  without  it." 

"  Squire  Walker  was  mean  not  to  give  you  a  ten- 
dollar  bill.  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  your- 
self?" 

*•  I  want  to  get  work ;  perhaps  you  have  got  some- 
thing for  me  to  do.     I  am  used  to  horses." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  as  I  have." 

Major  Phillips  was  a  great  fat  man,  rough,  vulgar, 
and  profane  in  his  conversation ;  but  he  had  a  kind 
and  sympathizing  nature.  Though  he  swore  like  a 
pirate  sometimes,  his  heart  was  in  the  right  place  so 
far  as  humanity  was  concerned. 

He  took  Harry  into  the  counting  room  of  the  sta- 
ble, and  questioned  him  in  regard  to  his  past  history 
and  future  prospects.  The  latter,  however,  were  just 
now  rather  clouded.  He  told  the  major  his  ex- 
perience in  trying  to  get  something  to  do,  and  wai 
afraid  he  should   not  find  a  place. 

The  stable  keeper  was  interested  in  him  find  in  hii 
itory.     He  swore  roundly  at  the  meanness  of  Jacol 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRT    WEST.  173 

Wire  and  Squire  Walker,  and  commended  him  for 
running  away. 

"Well,  my  lad,  I  don't  know  as  I  can  do  much 
for  ycu.  I  have  three  ostlers  now,  which  is  quite 
enough,  and  all  I  can  afford  to  pay ;  hut  1  suppose 
1  can  find  enough  for  a  hoy  to  do  about  the  house 
and  the  stable.     How  much  wages  do  you  expect  ?  " 

"  Whatever  you  think  I  can  earn." 

"You  can't  earn  much  for  me  just  now;  but  if 
you  are  a-mind  to  try  it,  I  will  give  you  six  dollars  a 
month  and  your  board." 

"  Thank  you,  sir ;  I  shall  be  very  glad  of  the 
chance." 

"  Very  well ;  but  if  you  work  for  me,  you  must 
get  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  be  wide  awake." 

"  I  will,  sir." 

"  Now  we  will  see  about  a  place  for  you  to 
Bleep." 

Over  the  counting  room  was  an  apartment  in  which 
two  of  the  ostlers  slept.  There  was  room  for  another 
bed,  and  one  was  immediately  set  up  for  Hairy's  use. 

Once  more,  then,  our  hero  was  at  home,  if  a  mere 
abiding  place  deserves  that  hallowed  name.  It  wai 
15* 


174  tky  again;  ok,  the  trials 

not  an  elegant,  or  even  a  commodious,  apartment  in 
whi:h  Harry  was  to  sleep.  The  walls  were  dingy 
and  black ;  the  beds  looked  as  though  they  had  never 
been  clean ;  and  there  was  a  greasy  smell  which  same 
from  several  harnesses  that  were  kept  there.  It  was 
comfortable,  if  not  poetical ;  and  Harry  soon  felt  per- 
fectly at  home. 

His  first  duty  was  to  cultivate  the  acquaintance 
of  the  ostlers.  He  found  them  to  be  rough,  good- 
natured  men,  not  over-scrupulous  about  their  man- 
ners or  their  morals.  If  it  does  not  occur  to  my 
young  readers,  it  will  to  their  parents,  that  this  waa 
not  a  fit  place  for  a  boy  —  that  he  was  in  constant 
contact  with  corruption.  His  companions  were  good- 
hearted  men ;  but  this  circumstance  rendered  them 
all  the  more  dangerous.  There  was  no  fireside  of 
home,  at  which  the  evil  effects  of  communication 
with  men  of  loose  morals  would  be  counteracted. 
llany  had  not  been  an  hour  in  their  society  before 
he  caught  himself  using  a  big  oath  —  which,  when  he 
had  gone  to  bed,  he  heartily  repented,  renewing  hi/i 
resolution  with  the  promise  to  try  again. 

He  was   up   bright  and  early  the   next  mo/ning 


AKD    TB1TJMPHS    OF    HARRY    WE8T.  175 

made  a  firs  in  the  counting  room,  and  had  led  out 
half  the  horses  in  the  stable  to  water,  before  M  ijoi 
Phillips  came  out.  His  services  were  in  demand,  aa 
Joe  Flint,  for  some  reason,  had  not  come  to  tbe  sta- 
ble that  morning. 

The  stable  keeper  declared  that  he  had  gone  on 
a  "  spree,"  and  told  Harry  he  might  take  his 
place. 

Harry  did  take  his  place  ;  and  the  ostlers  declared 
that,  m  every  thing  but  cleaning  the  horses,  he  made 
good  his  place.  The  knowledge  and  skill  which  he 
had  obtained  at  the  poorhouse  was  of  great  value  to 
him ;  and,  at  night,  though  he  was  very  tired,  he  waa 
satisfied  that  he  had  done  a  good  clay's  work. 

The  ostlers  took  their  meals  at  the  house  of  Major 
Phillips,  which  stood  at  one  side  of  the  stable  yard. 
Harry  did  not  like  Mrs.  Phillips  very  well ;  she  waa 
cross,  and  the  men  said  she  was  a  "  regular  Tartar." 
But  he  was  resolved  to  keep  the  peace.  He  after- 
wards found  it  a  difficult  matter ;  for  he  had  to  bring 
wood  and  water,  and  do  other  chores  about  tha 
house,  and  he  soon  ascertained  that  she  was  deter* 
mined  not  to  be  pleased  with  any  thing  he  did.     Hi 


176  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OK,    THE    TRIALS 

tried  to  keep  his  temper,  however,  and  meekly  sub- 
mitted tc  all  her  scolding  and  grumbling. 

Thus  far,  while  Harry  has  been  passing  thrcigh 
the  momentous  period  of  his  life  with  which  we 
Commenc3d  his  story,  we  have  minutely  detailed  the 
incidents  of  his  daily  life,  so  that  we  have  related  the 
events  of  only  a  few  days.  This  is  no  longer  neces- 
sary. He  has  got  a  place,  and  of  course  one  day  is 
very  much  like  every  other.  The  reader  knows  hira 
now  —  knows  what  kind  of  boy  he  is,  and  what  his 
hopos  and  expectations  are.  The  reader  knows,  too, 
the  great  moral  epoch  in  his  history  —  the  event 
which  roused  his  consciousness  of  error,  and  stimu- 
lated him  to  become  better ;  that  he  has  a  talisman 
in  his  mind,  which  can  be  no  better  expressed  than 
by  those  words  he  so  often  repeated,  "  She  hoped  he 
would  be  a  good  boy."  And  her  angel  smile  went 
with  him  to  encourage  him  in  the  midst  of  trial  and 
temptation  —  to  give  him  the  victory  over  the  foes 
that  assailed  him. 

Wc  shall  henceforth  give  results,  instead  of  a  daily 
record,  stopping  to  detail  only  the  great  events  of  hia 
career. 


A.ND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  177 

We  uhall  pass  over  three  months,  during  which 
time  he  worked  diligently  and  faithfully  for  Major 
Phillips.  Every  day  had  its  trials  and  temptations ; 
tot  a  day  passed  in  which  there  were  none.  The 
habit  of  using  profane  language  he  found  it  very  hard 
to  eradicate ;  but  he  persevered ;  and  though  he  often 
sinned,  he  as  often  repented  and  tried  again,  until  he 
had  fairly  mastered  the  enemy.  It  was  a  great  tri- 
umph, especially  when  it  is  remembered  that  he  was 
surrounded  by  those  whose  every  tenth  word  at  least 
was  an  oath. 

He  was  tempted  to  lie,  tempted  to  neglect  his 
work,  tempted  to  steal,  tempted  in  a  score  of  other 
things.  And  often  he  yielded  ;  but  the  remembrance 
of  the  little  angel,  and  the  words  of  the  good  Book 
she  had  given  him,  cheered  and  supported  him  as  he 
struggled  on. 

Harry's  finances  were  in  a  tolerably  prosperous 
condition.  With  his  earnings  he  had  bought  a  suit 
of  clothes,  and  went  to  church  half  a  day  every  San- 
day.  Besides  his  wages,  he  had  saved  about  five 
dollais  from  the  "  perquisites "  which  he  received 
from  customers  for  holding  their  horses,  running  er- 


178  TKY    AGAIN  ;     OK,    THE    TKIALS 

rands,  and  other  little  services  a  boy  could  perform. 
fie  was  very  careful  and  prudent  with  his  money  j 
and  whenever  he  added  any  thing  to  his  little  hoard, 
he  thought  of  the  man  who  had  become  rich  by 
sa\ing  up  his  fourpences.  He  still  cherished  his 
purpose  to  become  a  rich  man,  and  it  is  very  likely 
he  had  some  brilliant  anticipations  of  success.  Not 
a  cent  did  he  spend  foolishly,  though  it  was  hard 
work  to  resist  the  inclination  to  buy  the  fine  things 
that  tempted  him  from  the  shop  windows. 

Those  who  knew  him  best  regarded  him  as  a  very 
strange  boy ;  but  that  was  only  because  he  was  a 
little  out  of  his  element.  He  would  have  preferred 
to  be  among  men  who  did  not  bluster  and  swear ; 
but,  in  spite  of  them,  he  had  the  courage  and  the 
fortitude  to  be  true  to  himself.  The  little  angel  still 
maintained  her  ascendency  in  his  moral  nature. 

The  ostlers  laughed  at  him  when  he  took  out  his 
little  Bible,  before  he  went  to  bed,  to  drink  of  the 
waters  of  life.  They  railed  at  him,  called  him  "  Lit- 
tle Pious,"  and  tried  to  induce  him  to  pitch, ceijf,  in 
the  back  yard,  on  Sunday  afternoon,  instead  of  ^oing 
to    church.     He    generally    bore    these    taunt*    with 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  179 

patience,  though  sometimes  Tvs  high  spirit  w  )uld  get 
the  better  of  his  desire  to  be  what  the  little  angel 
.wished  him  to  be. 

John  Lane  put  up  at  the  stable  once  a  week;  and, 
every  time  he  returned  to  Rockville,  he  carried  a 
writter  or  a  verbal  account  of  the  prosperity  01  tae 
little  pauper  boy.  One  Sunday,  he  wrote  her  a  long 
letter  all  about  "  being  good  "  — how  he  was  tempt- 
ed, and  how  he  struggled  for  her  sake  and  for  the 
sake  of  the  truth. 

In  return,  he  often  received  messages  and  letters 
from  her,  breathing  the  same  pure  spirit  which  she  had 
manifested  when  she  "  fed  him  in  the  wilderness." 
These  communications  strengthened  his  moral  nature, 
and  enabled  him  to  resist  temptation.  He  felt  just 
as  though  she  was  an  angel  sent  into  the  world  to 
watch  over  him.  Perhaps  he  had  fallen  without 
them ;  at  any  rate,  her  influence  was  very  pow- 
erful. 

About  the  middle  of  January,  when  the  earth  was 
covered  with  snow,  and  the  bleak,  cold  winds  of 
winter  blew  over  the  city,  John  Lane  informed  Harry 
on   his    arrival,   tint    Julia  was  very   sick   with    the 


180  try  again;   or,  thf  trials 

ic?rlet  fever  and  canker  rash,  and  that  it  was  feared 
she  would  not  recover. 

This  was  tne  most  severe  trial  of  all.  lie  wept 
when  he  thought  of  her  sweet  face  reddened  with 
the  flush  of  fever ;  and  he  fled  to  his  chamWr,  to 
rent  his  emotions  in  silence  and  solituds. 


AXD    TBItTMPHS    OF    HABBY    WEST.  19\ 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

IK     WHICH     HARRV    DOES    A    GOOD    DEED,    AND    DK« 

TERMIXES    TO    "  FACE    THE    MUSIC." 

"While  Harry  sat  by  the  stove  in  the  ostler'i 
room,  grieving  at  the  intelligence  he  had  received 
from  Rockville,  a  little  girl,  so  lame  that  she  walked 
with  a  crutch,  hobbled  into  the  apartment. 

"  Is  my  father  here  ?  "  she  asked,  in  tones  so  sad 
that  Harry  could  not  help  knowing  she  was  in  dis- 
tress. 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  am  acquainted  with  your 
father,"  replied  Harry. 

"  He  is  one  of  the  ostlers  here." 

"  0,  Joseph  Flint !  " 

"  Yes  ;  he  has  not  been  nome  tG  dinner  or  tur  prt 
to-day,  and  mother  is  very  sick." 

"  I  haven't  seen  him  to-day." 
16 


182  iBr  again;   or,  the  trials 

"  0.  d< ar  !  What  will  become  of  us  ?  "  sighed  the 
ittle  girl,  a3  she  hobbled  away. 

Harry  was  struck  by  the  sad  appearance  cf  <he 
girl,  and  rle  desponding  words  she  uttered.  Of  late, 
Joe  Flint's  vile  habit  of  intemperance  had  grown  upon 
him  so  rapidly,  that  he  did  not  work  at  the  stable 
more  than  one  day  in  three.  For  two  months,  Majoi 
Phillips  had  been  threatening  to  discharge  him ;  and 
nothing  but  kindly  consideration  for  his  family  had 
prevented  him  from  doing  so. 

"Have  you  seen  Joe  to-day?"  asked  Harry  of 
one  of  the  ostlers,  who  came  into  the  room  soon  after 
the  departure  of  the  little  girl. 

"  No,  and  don't  want  to  see  him,"  replied  Abner, 
testily ;  for,  in  Joe's  absence,  his  work  had  to  be 
done  by  the  other  ostlers,  who  did  not  feel  very 
kindly  towards  him. 

"  His  little  girl  has  just  been  here  after  him." 

••  Very  likely  he  hasn't  been  noiae  for  a  week," 
idded  Abner.  "  I  should  think  his  family  would  be 
very  thankful  if  they  never  saw  him  again  He  ii 
t  nuisance  ;o  himself  and  every  body  else." 

••  Where  does  he  live  ?  " 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  185 

**  Just  up  in  Avery  Street  —  in  a  ten-footer  there." 

"  The  little  girl  said  her  mother  was  very  sick." 

**  I  dare  say.  She  is  always  sick ;  and  I  don't 
much  wonder.  Joe  Flint  is  enough  to  make  any  one 
sick.  He  has  been  drunk  about  two  thirds  of  the 
time  for  two  months." 

"  I  don't  see  how  his  family  get  along." 

"  Nor  I,  either." 

After  Abner  had  warmed  himself,  he  left  the  room. 
Harry  was  haunted  by  the  sad  look  and  the  despond- 
ing tones  of  the  poor  lame  girl.  It  was  a  bitter  cold 
evening ;  and  what  if  Joe's  family  were  suffering 
with  the  cold  and  hunger  !  It  was  sad  to  think  of 
such  a  thing ;   and  Harry  was  deeply  moved. 

"  She  hoped  I  would  be  a  good  boy.  She  is  very 
Kick  now,  and  perhaps  she  will  die,"  said  Harry  to 
himself.  "  What  would  she  do,  if  she  were  here 
now  r " 

He  knew  very  well  what  she  would  do,  and  he  de- 
tei  mined  to  do  it  himself.  His  heart  was  so  deeply 
(sieved  by  the  picture  of  sorrow  and  suffering  with 
which  his  imagination  had  invested  the  home  of  the 
intemperate  ostler,  that  it  required  no  argument  tc 
•nduce  him  to  go. 


<84  THY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

But  he  must  go  prepared  to  do  something.  How 
iver  sweet  and  consoling  may  be  the  sympathy  of 
others  to  those  in  distress,  it  will  not  warm  tha 
chilled  limbs  or  feed  the  hungry  mouths ;  and  Harry 
thanked  God  then  that  he  had  not  spent  his  money 
foolishly  upon  gewgaws  and  gimcracks,  or  in  gratify- 
ing a  selfish  appetite. 

After  assuring  himself  that  no  one  was  approach- 
ing, he  jumped  on  his  bedstead,  and  reaching  p  into 
a  hole  in  the  board  ceiling  of  the  room,  he  took  out 
a  large  wooden  pill  box,  which  was  nearly  filled  with 
various  silver  coins,  from  a  five-cent  piece  to  a  half 
dollar.  Putting  the  box  into  his  pocket,  he  went 
down  to  the  stable,  and  inquired  more  particularly 
in  relation  to  Joe's  house. 

When  he  had  received  such  directions  as  would 
enable  him  to  find  the  place,  he  told  Abner  he  wanted 
to  be  absent  a  little  while,  and  left  the  stable.  He 
had  no  difficulty  in  finding  the  home  of  the  drunk- 
ard's family.  It  was  a  little,  old  wooden  house,  ill 
Avery  Street,  opposite  Haymarket  Place,  which  baa 
long  since  been  pulled  down,  to  make  room  for  I 
more  elegant  dwelling. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OP    HAEET    WEST.  18fc 

Harry  knocked,   and   was   admitted  by  the    little 

.ame  girl  whom  he  had  seen  at  the  stable. 

"  I  have  come  to  see  if  I  can  do  any  thing  fos 
you,"  said  Harry,  as  he  moved  forward  into  the  room 
in  which  the  family  lived. 

"  Have  you  seen  any  thing  of  father  ? "  asked  the 
little  girl. 

"  I  haven't ;  Abner  says  he  hasn't  been  to  the  sta- 
ble to-day.  Haven't  you  any  lights  ?  "  asked  Harry, 
as  he  entered  the  dark  room. 

"  We  haven't  got  any  oil,  nor  any  candles." 

In  the  fireplace,  a  piece  of  pine  board  was  blazing, 
which  cast  a  faint  and  fitful  glare  into  the  room  ; 
and  Harry  was  thus  enabled  to  behold  the  scene 
which  the  miserable  home  of  the  drunkard  pre- 
sented. 

In  one  corner  was  a  dilapidated  bedstead,  on  which 
lay  the  sick  woman.  Drawn  from  under  it  was  a 
trundle  bed,  upon  which  lay  two  small  children,  who 
had  evidently  been  put  to  bed  at  that  ea-ly  hour  to 
keep  them  warm,  for  the  temperature  of  the  apartment 
was  scarcely  more  comfortable  than  that  of  the  open 
Air.  It  was  a  cheeiless  home:  and  the  faint  light 
16* 


186  i*T  again;   or,  the  trials 

a(  the  blazing  board  served  only  to  increase  thi 
deeolale  app^-o-ice  of  the  place. 

"  Who  is  it  ?  "  asked  the  sick  woman,  faintly. 

"  The  boy  that  works  at  the  stable,"  replied  the 
lame  girl. 

"  My  name  is  Harry  West,  marm ;  and  I  come  tr» 
«ee  if  you  wanted  any  thing,"  added  Harry. 

"  We  want  a  great  many  things,"  sighed  she. 
s  Can  you  tell  me  where  my  husband  is  ?  " 

"  I  can't ;  he  hasn't  been  at  the  stable  to-day." 

"  O  God  !  what  will  become  of  us  ?  "  sobbed  the 
woman. 

"  I  will  help  you,  marm.  Don't  take  on  so.  I 
have  money ;  and  I  will  do  every  thing  I  can  for 
you." 

When  her  mother  sobbed,  the  lame  girl  sat  down 
on  the  bed,  and  cried  bitterly.  Harry's  tender  heart 
was  melted ;  and  he  would  have  wept  also,  if  he  had 
not  been  conscious  of  the  high  mission  he  had  to 
perform ;  and  he  felt  very  grateful  that  he  was  able 
to  dry  up  those  tears,  and  carry  gladness  (o  those 
Meeding  hearts. 

"  I  don't  kna-'  what  you  can  do  for  us,"  said  the 


AND    TRIUMPHS    JF    HABHT    WEST.  187 

poor  woman,  "  though  I  am  sure  I  am  very  much 
obliged  to   you." 

"  I  can  do  a  great  deal,  marm.  Cheer  up,"  replied 
Harry,  tenderly. 

As  he  spoke,  one  of  the  children  in  the  trundle 
bed  sobbed  in  its  sleep ;  and  the  poor  mother's  heart 
aeemed  to  be  lacerated  by  the  sound. 

"  Poor  child  !  "  wailed  she.  "  He  had  no  supper 
but  a  crust  of  bread  and  a  cup  of  cold  water.  He 
cried  himself  to  sleep  with  cold  and  hunger.  O 
Heaven !  that  we  should  have  come  to  this  ! " 

"  And  the  room  is  very  cold,"  added  Harry,  glan- 
cing around  him. 

"  It  is.  Our  wood  is  all  gone  but  two  great  logs. 
Katy  could  not  bring  them  up." 

**  I  worked  for  an  hour  trying  to  split  some  pieces 
off  them,"  said  Katy,  the  lame  girl. 

"  I  will  fix  them,  marm,"  replied  Harry,  who  felt 
the  strength  of  ten  stout  men  in  his  limbs  at  thai 
noment.     "  But  you  have  had  no  supper." 

"  No." 

"  Wait  a  minute.     Have  you  a  basket  ?  " 

Katy  brought  him  a  peck  basket,  and  Harry  rushed 


188  TBT    AGAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TRIALS 

out  of  the  house  as  though  he  had  been  shot.  Great 
deeds  were  before  him,  and  he  was  inspired  for  the 
occasion. 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  he  returned.  The  basket 
was  nearly  full.  Placing  it  in  a  chair,  he  took  from 
it  a  package  of  candles,  one  of  which  he  lighted  and 
placed  in  a  tin  candlestick  on  the  table. 

"  Now  we  have  got  a  little  light  on  the  subject," 
said  he,  as  he  began  to  display  the  contents  of  the 
basket.  "  Here,  Katy,  is  two  pounds  of  meat ;  here 
is  half  a  pound  of  tea  ;  you  had  better  put  a  little  in 
the  teapot,  and  let  it  be  steeping  for  your  mother." 

"  God  bless  you !  '*  exclaimed  Mrs.  Flint.  "  You 
are  an  angel  sent  from  Heaven  to  help  us  in  our 
distress." 

"  No,  marm ;  I  ain't  an  angel,"  answered  Harry, 
who  seemed  to  feel  that  Julia  Bryant  had  an  exclu- 
sive monopoly  of  that  appellation,  so  far  as  it  could 
be  reasonably  applied  to  mortals.  "  I  only  want  to 
do  my  duty,  marm." 

"  Katy  Flint  was  so  bewildered  that  she  could  say 
nothing,  though  her  opinion  undoubtedly  coinni  led 
with  that  of  her  mother. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARK?    WE3T.  189 

"Here  is  two  loaves  of  bread  and  two  do7en 
crackers;  a  pound  of  butter;  two  pounds  of  sugar 
There  !  I  did  not  bring  any  milk." 

"Nev^r  mind  the  milk.     You  are  a  blessed  child." 

"  Give  me  a  pitcher,  Katy.  I  will  go  down  to 
Thomas's  in  two  shakes  of  a  jiffy." 

Mrs.  Flint '  protested  that  she  did  not  want  any 
milk  —  that  she  could  get  along  very  well  without 
i*. ;  but  Harry  said  the  children  must  have  it ;  and, 
without  waiting  for  Katy  to  get  the  pitcher,  he  took 
it  from  the  closet,  and  ran  out  of  the  house. 

He  was  gone  but  a  few  minutes.  When  he  re- 
turned, he  found  Katy  trying  to  make  the  teakettle 
boil,  but  with  very  poor  success. 

"  Now,  Katy,  show  me  the  logs,  and  I  will  sooc 
h?ve  a  fire." 

The  lame  girl  conducted  him  to  the  cellar,  where 
Harry  found  the  remnants  of  the  old  box  which  Katy 
nad  tried  to  split.  Seizing  the  axe,  he  struck  a  few 
vigorous  blown,  and  the  pine  boards  were  reduced  to 
a  proper  shape  for  use.  Taking  an  armful,  he  re- 
turned to  the  chamber;  and  soon  a  good  fire  wai 
blazing  under  the  teakettle. 


190  try  again;   or,  the  trials 

"  There,  marm,  we  will  soon  have  things  to  rights,* 
■aid  Harry,  as  he  rose  from  the  health,  where  he  hail 
stooped  down  to  blow  the  fire. 

"  I  am  sure  we  should  have  perished  if  you  had 
not  come,"  added  Mrs.  Flint,  who  was  not  disposed 
to  undervalue  Harry's  good  deeds. 

**  Then  I  am  very  glad  I  come." 

"  I  hope  we  shall  be  able  to  pay  you  back  all  the 
money  you  have  spent ;  but  I  don't  know.  Joseph 
has  got  so  bad,  I  don't  know  what  he  is  coming  to. 
He  is  a  good-hearted  man.  He  always  uses  me  well, 
even  when  he  is  in  liquor.  Nothing  but  drink  could 
make  him  neglect  us  so." 

"It  is  a  hard  case,  marm,"  added  Harry. 

"  Very  hard ;  he  hasn't  done  much  of  any  thing 
for  us  this  winter.  I  have  been  out  to  work  every 
day  till  a  fortnight  ago,  when  I  got  eick,  and  couldn't 
do  any  thing.  Katy  has  kept  us  alive  since  then ; 
ghe  is  a  good  girl,  and  takes  the  whole  care  of  Tom- 
m}"  and  Susan." 

"  Poor  girl !  it  is  a  pity  she  is  so  lame." 

"  I  don't  mind  that,  if  I  only  had  things  to  do 
with,"  said  Katy,  who  was  busy  disposing  of  tht 
provision  which  Harry  had  bought. 


AND    TBIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  19\ 

As  soon  as  the  kett.e  boiled,  she  made  tea,  an 
prepared  a  little  toast  for  her  mother,  who,  how  ever, 
was  too  sick  to  take  much  nourishment. 

"  Now,  Katy,  you  must  eat  yourself,"  interposed 
Harry,  when  all  was  ready. 

"  1  can't  eat,"  replied  the  poor  girl,  bursting  into 
teais.      "  I  don't  feel  hungry." 

"  You  must  eat." 

Just  then  the  children  in  the  trundle  bed,  dis- 
turbed by  the  unusual  bustle  in  the  room,  waked, 
and  gazed  with  wonder  at  Harry,  who  had  seated 
himself  on  the  bed. 

"  Poor  Susy  !  "  exclaimed  Katy  ;  "  she  has  waked 
up.  And  Tommy,  too !  They  shall  have  their  sup- 
per, now." 

They  were  taken  up ;  and  Harry's  eyes  were  glad- 
dened by  such  a  sight  as  he  had  never  beheld  before. 
The  hungry  ate ;  and  every  mouthful  they  took 
swelled  the  heart  of  the  little  almoner  of  God's 
bcunty.  If  the  thought  of  Julia  Bryant,  languishing 
en  a  bed  of  sickness,  had  not  marred  his  satif  faction, 
he  had  been  perfectly  happy.  But  he  was  doing  a 
deed  that  would  rejoice  her  heart;  he  was  doing  jts< 


192  TKT    AGAIN  ;     OK,    THE    TRIALS 

wLat  she  had  done  for  him ;  he  was  doing  jnst  what 
§he  would  hare  done,  if  she  had  been  there. 

"  She  hoped  he  would  be  a  good  bo}T."  His  con- 
scieuce  told  him  he  had  been  a  good  boy  —  that  he 
hitd  been  true  to  himself,  and  true  to  the  noble  ex- 
ample she  had  set  before  him. 

While  the  family  were  still  at  supper,  Harry,  light- 
ing another  candle,  went  down  cellar  to  pay  hia 
respects  to  those  big  logs.  He  was  a  stout  boy,  and 
accustomed  to  the  use  of  the  axe.  By  slow  degrees 
he  chipped  off  the  logs,  until  they  were  used  up,  and 
a  great  pile  of  serviceable  wood  was  before  him.  Not 
content  with  this,  he  carried  up  several  large  armfuls 
of  it,  which  he  deposited  by  the  fireplace  in  the  room 

"  Now,  marm,  I  don't  know  as  I  can  do  any  thing 
more  for  you  to-night,"  said  he,  moving  towards  the 
door. 

"  The  Lord  knows  you  have  done  enough,"  replied 
Khe  poor  woman.  "  I  hope  we  shall  be  able  to  pay 
you  for  what  you  have  done." 

"  I  don't  want  any  thing,  marm." 

"If  we  can't  pay  you,  the  Lord  will  reward  you." 

"  I  am  paid  enough  already.  I  hope  you  will  get 
b*»**er,  marm." 


A.HD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WE8T.  133 

"  1  hope  so.  I  feel  better  to-night  than  I  ha\e  felt 
before  for  a  week." 

"  Good  night,  marm  !  Good  night,  Katy  !  "  And 
Harry  hurried  back  to  the  stable. 

"  Where  have  you  been,  Harry  ? "  asked  Abner, 
when  he  entered  the  ostler's  room. 

"  I  have  been  out  a  little  while." 

"  I  know  that.  The  old  man  wanted  you ;  and 
when  he  couldn't  find  you,  he  was  as  mad  as  thun- 
der." 

"  Where  is  he  ? "  said  Harry,  somewhat  annoyed 
to  find  that,  while  he  had  been  doing  his  duty  in  one 
direction,  he  had  neglected  his  duty  in  another. 

"  In  the  counting  room.  You  will  catch  fits  for 
going  off." 

Whatever  he  should  catch,  he  determined  to  "  face 
the  music,"  and  left  the  room  to  find  his  employer. 
17 


IiM  TRY    AGAIN  :    OB.    THE    TRrALS 


CHAPTER    XV. 

IX    WHICH    HARRY    MAKES     THE    ACQUAINTANCE    OP 
A    VERY    IMPORTANT    PERSONAGE. 

Major  Phillips  was  in  the  counting  room,  where 
Hairy,  dreading  his  anger,  presented  himself  before 
bim.  His  employer  was  a  violent  man.  He  usually 
acted  first,  and  thought  the  matter  over  afterwards ; 
so  that  he  frequently  had  occasion  to  undo  what  had 
been  done  in  haste  and  passion.  His  heart  was 
kind,  but  his  temper  generally  had  the  first  word. 

"  So  you  have  come,  Harry,"  exclaimed  he,  as 
our  hero  opened  the  door.  "  Where  have  you 
been  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  out  a  little  while,"  replied  Harry, 
whose  modesty  rebelled  at  the  idea  of  proclaiming 
the  good  deed  he  had  done. 

"  Out  a  little  while  !  "  roared  the  major,  with  aa 
aath  that  froze  the  boy's  blood.      "  That  is  enough  — 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  195 

M'ougli,  sir.  You  know  I  don't  allow  man  or  boy  to 
leave  the  stable  without  letting  me  know  it." 

"  I  was  wrong,  sir  ;   but  I " 

"  You  little  snivelling  monkey,  how  dared  you 
Ipave  the  stable  ?  "  continued  the  stable  keeper,  heed- 
less of  the  boy's  submission.  "  I'll  teach  you  better 
than  that." 

"  Will  you  ?  "  said  Harry,  suddenly  changing  h;s 
tone,  as  his  blood  began  to  boil.  "  You  can  begia 
as  quick  as  you  like." 

"  You  saucy  young  cub  !  I  have  a  great  mind  to 
give  you  a  cowhiding,"  thundered  the  enraged  stable 
keeper. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  you  do  it,"  replied  Harry, 
fixing  his  eyes  on  the  poker  that  lay  on  the  floor 
near  the  stove. 

"  Should  you,  you  impertinent  puppy  ?  " 

The  hiajor  sprang  forward,  as  if  to  grasp  the  boj 
I  y  the  collar ;  but  Harry,  with  his  eye  still  fixed 
on  the  poker,  retreated  a  pace  or  two,  ready  to  act 
pn  mptly  when  the  decisive  moment  should  come. 
Forgetting  for  the  time  that  he  had  run  away  from 
•ne  duty  to  attend  to  another,  be  felt  indignant  that 


196  TET    AGAIJt  ;    OB,    THE    TRIALS 

he  should  bo  thus  rudely  treated  for  being  absent  a 
short  time  on  an  errand  of  love  and  charity.  H>? 
gave  himself  too  Jauch  credit  for  the  good  deed,  and 
felt  that  he  was  a  martyr  to  his  philanthropic  spirit. 
He  was  willing  to  bear  all  and  brave  all  in  a  good 
cause ;  and  it  seemed  to  him,  just  then,  as  though 
he  was  being  punished  for  assisting  Joe  Flint's  fam- 
ily, instead  of  for  leaving  his  place  without  permis- 
sion. A  great  many  persons  who  mean  well  are  apt 
to  think  themselves  martyrs  for  any  good  cause  in 
wlich  they  may  be  engagad,  when,  in  reality,  their 
own  want  of  tact,  or  the  offensive  manner  in  which 
they  present  their  truth,  is  the  stake  at  which  they 
are  burned. 

"  Keep  off! "  said  Harry,  his  eyes  flashing  fire. 

The  major  was  so  angry  that  he  could  do  nothing; 
and  while  they  were  thus  confronting  each  other,  Joe 
Flint  staggered  into  the  counting  room.  Intoxicated 
as  he  was,  he  readily  discovered  the  position  of  affairs 
between  the  belligerents. 

"Look  here  —  hie  —  Major  Phillips,"  said  he, 
reeling  up  to  his  employer,  "  I  love  you,  —  hie,  — 
Major  Pnillips,  like  a  —  hie  —  like  a  brother,  Ma^oi 


AND    TKITTMrHS    OF    HAKRY    WEST.  197 

Phillips;  but  if  you  touch  that  boy,  Mujor  Phillipt 
I'll  —  hie  —  you  touch  me,  Major  Phillips.  That's 
all." 

'•  Go  home.  Joe,"  replied  the  stable  keeper,  hii 
attention  diverted  from  Harry  to  the  new  comba- 
tant.    "  You  are  drunk." 

"  I  know  I'm  drunk,  Major  Phillips.  I'm  as  drunk 
as  a  beast ;  but  1  ain't  —  hie  —  dead  drunk.  I  know 
what  I'm  about." 

"  No,  you  don't.     Go  home." 

"  Yes,  I  dzoo.  I'm  a  brute  ;  I'm  a  hog  ;  I'm  a  — 
dzwhat  you  call  it  ?     I'm  a  villain." 

Joe  tried  to  straighten  himself  up,  and  look  at  his 
employer ;  but  he  could  not,  and  suddenly  bursting 
into  tears,  he  threw  himself  heavily  into  a  chair, 
weeping  bitterly  in  his  inebriate  paroxysm.  He 
sobbed,  and  groaned,  and  talked  incoherently.  He 
acted  strangely,  and  Major  Phillips's  attention  was 
excited. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Joe?"  he  asked;  and  hig 
anger  towards  Harry  seemed  to  have  subsideu. 

"  I  tell  you  I  am  a  villain,  Major  }"hilhpn."  blub- 
ber el  Joe, 

17* 


198  TRT    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ? ' ' 

"  Haven't  I  been  on  a  drunk,  and  left  my  lamilj 
to  starve  and  freeze?"  groaned  Joe,  inteilardii-g  his 
ipeech  with  violent  ebullitions  of  weeping.  "  Wouldn't 
my  poor  wife,  and  my  poor  children  —  O  my  God  !  " 
and  the  poor  drunkard  covered  his  face  with  his 
hands,  and  sobbed  like  an  infant. 

"  AVhat  is  the  matter  ?  What  do  you  mean,  Joe  ? " 
asked  Major  Phillips,  who  had  never  seen  him  in 
this  frame  before.    . 

"  Wouldn't  they  all  have  died,  if  Harry  hadn't 
gone  and  fed  'em,  and  split  up  wood  to  warm  'em  ?  " 

As  he  spoke,  Joe  sprang  up,  and  rushed  towards 
Harry,  and  in  his  drunken  frenzy  attempted  to  em- 
brace him. 

"What  does  this  mean,  Harry?"  said  the  stable 
keeper,  turning  to  our  hero,  who,  while  Joe  was  tell- 
ing his  story,  had  been  thinking  of  something  else. 

"  What  a  fool  I  was  to  get  mad  !  "  thought  he. 
•What  would  she  say,  if  she  had  seen  me  just  now? 
foor  J  alia  !  perhaps  she  is  dead,  even  now." 

"  My  folks  would  have  died,  if  it  hadn't  b-  f.n  foi 
iim,"  hiccoughed  Joe. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    "WEST.  199 

"Explain  it,  Harry,"  added  the  major. 

"  The  lame  girl,  K'aty,  came  down  here  after  hex 
fether,  early  in  the  evening.  She  seemed  to  be  in 
♦rouble,  and  I  tbought  I  would  go  up  and  see  wnat 
the  matter  was.  I  found  them  in  rather  a  bad  con- 
dition, without  any  wood  or  any  thing  to  eat.  I  did 
what  I  could  for  them,  and  came  away,"  replied  Harry. 

"Give  me  your  hand,  Harry!  '  and  the  majoi 
grasped  his  hand  like  a  vice.  "  You  are  a  good 
fellow,"  he  added,  with  an  oath. 

"  Forgive  me,  Mr.  Phillips,  for  saying  what  I  did ; 
I  was  mad,"  pleaded  Harry. 

"  So  was  I,  my  boy;  but  we  won't  mind  that. 
You  are  a  good  fellow ;  and  I  like  your  spunk.  So 
you  have  really  been  taking  care  of  Joe's  family 
while  he  was  off  on  a  drunk." 

M  I  didn't  do  much,  sir." 

"  Look  here,  Harry,  and  you,  Major  Phillips 
W  hsn  I  get  this  rum  out  of  me,  I'll  never  take 
%nother  drop  again,"  said  Joe,  throwing  himself  into 
a  chair. 

*'  Bah,  Joe  !  You  have  said  that  twenty  times  be- 
fore," added  Major  Phillips. 


200  try  again;   or,  the  trials 

"  You  dzee  !  "  exclaimed  Joe,  doubling  hid  fiat, 
and  bringing  it  down  with  the  intention  of  hitting 
the  table  by  his  side  to  emphasize  his  resolution; 
but,  unfortunately,  he  missed  the  table  —  a  circum- 
stance which  seemed  to  foreshadow  the  fate  of  nis 
resolve. 

Jce  proceeded  to  declare  in  his  broken  speech  what 
a  shock  he  had  received  when  he  went  home,  half  an 
hour  before,  —  the  first  time  for  several  days,  —  and 
heard  the  reproaches  of  his  suffering  wife,  how  grate- 
ful he  was  to  Harry,  and  what  a  villain  he  considered 
himself.  Either  the  sufferings  of  his  family,  01  the 
rum  he  had  drank,  melted  his  heart,  and  he  was  as 
eloquent  as  his  half-paralyzed  tongue  would  permit. 
He  was  a  pitiable  object ;  and  having  assured  him- 
self that  Joe's  family  were  comfortable  for  the  night, 
Major  Phillips  put  him  to  bed  in  his  own  house. 

Harry  was  not  satisfied  with  himself;  he  had  per- 
mitted his  temper  to  get  the  better  of  him.  He 
thought  of  Julia  on  her  bed  of  suffering,  wept  for  her, 
and  repented  for  himself.  That  night  he  heard  toe 
clock  on  the  Boylston  market  strike  twelve  before  ft« 
ciosevi  his  eyi»s  t"  «leep. 


AN   )    TRIUMPHS    OF    HATJRT    WE8T.  20i 

The  next  day,  while  he  was  at  work  in  the  s'.able, 
i  hoy  of  about  fifteen  called  to  see  him,  and  desired 
to  speak  with  him  alone.  Harry,  much  wondering 
who  his  visitor  was,  and  what  he  wanted,  conducted 
him  to  the  ostler's  chamber. 

"  You  are  Harry  West,"  the  boy  began. 

"  That  is  my  name,  for  the  want  of  a  better,"  re- 
plied Harry. 

"  Then  there  is  a  little  matter  to  be  settled  be« 
tween  you  and  me.  You  helped  my  folks  out  his* 
night,  and  I  want  to  pay  you  for  it." 

"  Your  folks  ?  " 

"  My  name  is  Edward  Flint." 

"  Then  you  are  Joe's  son." 

"  I  am,"  replied  Edward,  who  did  not  seem  to  fee] 
much  honored  by  the  relationship. 

'*  Your  folks  were  in  a  bad  condition  last  night." 

:<  That's  a  fact ;  they  were." 

"  But  I  didn't  know  Joe  had  a  son  as  old  as  jou 
are." 

"  1  am  the  oldest ;  but  I  don't  live  at  home,  *n«J 
Vave  not  for  three  years.  How  much  did  you  nay 
out  for  them  last  night  ?  " 


202  try  again;    OR,  THE  T2IALB 

*'  One  dollar  and  twenty  cents." 

"  As  much  as  that  ?  " 

"  Just  that." 

Edward  Flint  manifested  some  uneasiness  ai  the 
announcement.  He  had  evidently  come  with  a  pur- 
pose, but  had  found  things  different  from  what  he 
had  expected. 

"  I  didn't  think  it  was  so  much." 

"  What  matter  how  much  ?  "  asked  Ham 

"  Why,  I  want  to  pay  you." 

u  You  needn't  mind  that." 

"  The  fact  is,  I  have  only  three  dollars  just  now; 
and  I  promised  to  go  out  to  ride  with  a  fellow  next 
Sunday.  So,  you  see,  if  I  pay  you,  I  shall  not  have 
enough  left  to  foot  the  bills." 

Harry  looked  at  his  visitor  with  astonishment ;  he 
did  not  know  what  to  make  of  him.  Was  he  in 
earnest  ?  Would  a  son  of  Joseph  Flint  go  out  to 
ride,  —  on  Sunday,  too,  —  while  his  mother  and  his 
brother  and  sisters  were  on  the  very  brink  of  starva- 
tion ?  Our  hero  had  some  strange,  old-fashioned 
uoticns  of  his  own.  For  instance,  he  considered  it 
%  son's   duty  to  take   care  of  his  mother,  even  if  hj 


A.TTD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  203 

were  obliged  to  forego  the  Sunday  ride ;  that  he 
ought  to  do  all  he  could  for  his  brothers  and  sisters, 
even  if  he  had  to  go  without  stewed  oysters,  staj 
away  from  the  theatre,  and  perhaps  wear  a  little 
coarser  cloth  on  his  back.  If  Harrv  was  unreasona- 
ble in  his  views,  my  young  reader  will  remember  that 
he  was  brought  up  in  the  country,  where  young 
America  is  not  quite  so  "  fast-"  as  in  the  city. 

"  I  didn't  ask  you  to  pay  me,"  continued  Harry. 

"  I  know  that ;  but,  you  see,  I  suppose  I  ought  to 
pay  you.  The  old  man  don't  take  much  care  of  the 
family." 

Harry  wanted  to  say  that  the  young  man  did  not 
appear  to  do  much  better ;  but  he  was  disposed  to 
oe  as  civil  as  the  circumstances  would  permit. 

"  You  needn't  pay  me." 

"  O,  yes,  I  shall  pay  you ;  but  if  you  can  wait  till 
the  first  of  next  month,  I  should  like  it." 

"  I  can  wait.      Do  you  live  out  ?  " 

"  Live  out  ?  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  I  am 
a  clerk  in  a  store  down  town,"  replied  Edwaro  with 
ifiended  dignity. 

**  3,  are  you  ?     Dc  they  pay  you  well  ?  " 


204  TRY    AGAIN  ;    OE,    THE    TEIAL8 

"  Pretty  fair ;  I  get  five  dollars  a  week." 

"  Five  dollars  a  week  !  Thunder !  I  should  thiai 
you  did  get  paid  pretty  well ! "  exclaimed  Harry, 
astonished  at  the  vastness  of  the  sum  for  a  week'l 
work. 

"  Fair  salary,"  added  Edward,  complacently. 
"  What  are  you  doing  here  ?  " 

"  I  work  in  the  stable  and  about  the  house." 

"  That's  mean  business,"  said  Mr.  Flint,  turning 
up  his  nose. 

"  It  does  very  well." 

"  How  much  do  you  get  ?  ' 

"  Six  dollars  a  month  and  perquisites." 

"  How  much  are  the  perquisites  ?  " 

"  From  one  to  two  dollars  a  month." 

"  Humph  !     I  wonder  you  stay  here." 

"  It  is  as  well  as  I  can  do." 

"  No,   it  isn't ;    why  don't   you  go  into  a  stor* 
ATe  want  a  boy  in  our  store." 

"  Do  you  ?  " 

"  We  do." 

*'  How  much  do  you  pay  ?  " 

"  We  pay  from  two  to  four  dollars  a  week." 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HA.HRT    WEST.  205 

"Can't  you  get  me  the  place  ?  "  asked  Harrj,  no* 
much  interested  in  his  companion. 

"  Well,  yes  ;  perhaps  I  can." 

"  What  s.iould  I  have  to  do  ?  " 

"  Make  the  fires,  sweep  out  in  the  morning,  go  of 
errands,  and  such  work.  Boys  must  begin  at  the 
foot  of  the  ladder.  I  began  at  the  foot  of  the  lad- 
der," answered  Mr.  Flint,  with  an  immense  self- 
sufficiency,  which  Harry,  however,  failed  to  notice. 

"  I  should  like  to  get  into  a  store." 

"  You  would  have  a  good  chance  to  rise." 

"  I  am  willing  to  do  any  thing,  so  that  I  can  have 
a  chance  to  get  ahead." 

"  We  always  give  boys  a  good  chance." 

Harry  wanted  that  mysterious  "  we  "  defined.  As 
it  was,  he  was  left  to  infer  that  Mr.  Flint  was  a 
partner  in  the  concern,  unless  the  five  doll.irs  per 
week  was  an  argument  to  the  contrary ;  but  he  didn't 
like  to  ask  strange  questions,  and  desired  to  know 
whom  "he  worked  for." 

Edward  Flint  did  not  "  work  for  "  any  body.  He 
was  a  clerk  in  the  extensive  dry  goods  establish.-nent 
*f  the  Messrs.  Wake  and  Wade,  which,  he  declared, 
18 


206  TBY    AGAIN  ;    OB,    THE    TKIAIS 

tfas  the  largest  concern  in  Boston ;  and  one  might 
further  have  concluded  that  Mr.  Flint  \va3  the  most 
important  personage  in  the  said  concern. 

Mr.  Flint  was  obliged  to  descend  from  his  lofty 
dignity,  and  compound  the  dollar  and  twenty  cents 
with  the  stable  boy  by  promising  to  get  him  the 
vacant  place  in  the  establishment  of  Wake  and 
Wade,  if  his  influence  was  sufficient  to  procure  it. 
Harry  was  satisfied,  and  begged  him  not  to  distress 
himself  about  the  debt.  The  visitor  took  his  leave, 
promising  to  see  him  again  the  next  day. 

About  noon,  Joe  Flint  appeared  at  the  stable 
again,  perfectly  sober.  Major  Phillips  had  lent  him 
ten  dollars,  in  anticipation  of  his  month's  wages,  and 
he  had  been  home  to  attend  to  the  comfort  of  his 
suffering  family.  After  dinner,  he  had  a  long  talk 
with  Harry,  in  which,  after  paying  him  the  money 
disbursed  on  the  previous  evening,  he  repeated  his 
solemn  resolution  to  drink  no  more.  He  was  very 
grateful  to  Harry,  and  hoped  he  should  be  able  to 
Xo  as  much  for  him. 

"  Don't  drink  any  more,  Joe,  and  it  will  be  the 
Dest  day's  work  I  ever  did,"  added  Harry. 

**  I  never  will,  Harry  —  never  !  '  protested  Joe. 


AHt)   T&IUMPHS     W    HARRY    WfcST.  207 


CHAPTER    XVT. 

IH    ^THICH    HARRY    GOES    INTO    THE    DBY    GOODS 

BUSINESS. 

Me.  Edward  Flint's  reputation  as  a  gentleman 
»f  honor  and  a  man  of  his  word  suffered  somewhat 
in  Harry's  estimation ;  for  he  waited  all  day,  and 
all  the  evening,  without  hearing  a  word  from  the 
firm  of  Wake  and  \*  ade.  He  had  actually  be- 
gun to  doubt  whether  the  accomplished  young  man 
had  as  much  influence  with  the  firm  as  he  had  led 
him  to  suppose.  But  his  ambition  would  not  permi1 
him  longer  to  be  satisfied  with  the  humble  sphere  c/ 
a  stable  boy  ;  and  he  determined,  if  he  did  not  heu,i 
from  Edward,  to  apply  for  the  situation  himself. 

The  next  day,  having  procured  two  hours'  leave 
of  absence  from  the  stable,  he  called  at  the  home  of 
Joe  Flint  to  obtain  further  particulars  concerning 
Raward  and  hb  situation.     He  found  the  fiunily  a 


70S  tkt  again:   or.  the  trtals 

much  better  circumstances  than  at  his  previous  visit. 
Mrs.  Flint  was  sitting  up,  and  was  rapidly  conva- 
lescing ;  Katy  was  busy  and  cheerful ;  and  it  seemed 
a  different  place  from  that  to  which  he  had  been  the 
•nessenger  of  hope  and  comfort  two  nights  before. 

They  were  very  glad  to  see  him,  and  poured  forth 
their  gratitude  to  him  so  eloquently  that  he  was  obliged 
to  change  the  topic.  Mrs.  Flint  was  sure  that  her 
husband  was  an  altered  man.  She  had  never  before 
known  him  to  be  so  earnest  and  solemn  in  his  reso- 
lutions to  amend  and  lead  a  new  life. 

But  when  Harry  alluded  to  Edward,  both  Katy 
and  her  mother  suddenly  grew  sad.  They  acknowl- 
edged that  they  had  sent  for  him  in  their  extremity, 
out  that  he  did  not  come  till  the  next  morning,  when 
the  bounty  of  the  stable  boy  had  relieved  them  from 
the  bitterness  of  want.  The  mother  dropped  a  tear 
as  she  sooke  of  the  wayward  son  ;  and  Harry  had 
not  the  heart  to  press  the  inquiries  he  hf.d  come  to 
make. 

After  speaking  as  well  as  he  dared  tc  speak  of 
Edward,  he  took  his  leave,  and  hastened  to  the  estab- 
lishment cf  Wake  and  Wade,  to  applj  for  the  vacant 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  209 

place.  He  had  put  on  his  best  clothes,  and  hU 
appearance  this  time  was  very  creditable. 

Entering  the  store,  he  inquired  for  Edward  Flint ; 
tad  that  gentleman  was  summoned  to  receive  him. 

"  Hal.o,  Harry  West !  "  said  Edward,  when  k<s 
recognized  his  visitor.  "  I  declare  I  forgot  all  about 
you." 

"  I  thought  likely,"  replied  Harry,  willing  to  be 
very  charitable  to  the  delinquent. 

"  The  fact  is,  we  have  been  so  busy  in  the  store,  I 
uaven't  had  time  to  call  on  you,  as  I  promised." 

"  Never  mind,  now.     Is  the  place  filled  ?  " 

"No." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that.  Do  you  think  there  is 
any  chance  for  me  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  don't  know.  I  will  do  what  I  can  for 
you." 

"  Thank  you,  Edward." 

"  "Wait  here  a  moment  till  I  speak  with  one  of 
the  partners." 

The  clerk  left  him,  and  was  absent  but  a  moment, 
wnen  Harry  was  summoned  to  the  private  room  of 
Mr  "Wake.  The  gentleman  questioned  him  for  a 
18* 


210  TKY    AGAIN;     .  R,    THE    TRIALS 

few  rromcnts,  and  seemed  to  be  pleased  with  his 
address  and  his  frankness.  The  result  of  the  inter* 
\iew  was,  that  our  hero  was  engaged  at  a  salary  of 
three  dollars  a  week,  though  it  was  objected  to  him 
that  he  had  no  parents  residing  in  the  city. 

"  I  thought  I  could  fix  it,"  said  Edward,  compla- 
cently, as  they  left  the  counting  room. 

"  I  am  much  obliged  to  you,  Edward,"  replied 
Harry,  willing  to  humor  his  new  friend.  "Now  1 
want  to  get  a  place  to  board." 

"  That  is  easy  enough." 

"  Where  do  you  board  ?  " 

"  In  Green  Street." 

"  How  much  do  you  pay  a  week  ?  " 

"  Two  dollars  and  a  half." 

"  I  can't  pay  that." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  you  can't." 

"  I  was  thinking  of  something  just  now.  Suppose 
wre  should  both  board  with  your  mother." 

••Me?" 

"  Yes." 

"  What,  in  a  ten- footer!"  exclaimed  Edward,  start- 
ing back  with  astonishment  and  indignation  at  ths 
proposal. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  211 

"  Why  not  ?  If  it  is  good  enough  for  your  nutheij 
Isn't  it  good  enough  for  you  ?  " 

"  Humph  !     I'll  bet  it  won't  suit  me." 

"  We  can  fix  up  a  room  to  suit  ourselves,  you 
know.     And  it  will  be  much  cheaper  for  both  of  us." 

"  That,  indeed  ;  but  the  idea  of  boarding  with  the 
old  man  is  not  to  be  thought  of." 

"  I  should  think  you  would  like  to  be  with  youl 
mother  and  your  brother  and  sisters." 

"  Not  particular  about  it." 

"  Better  think  of  it,  Edward." 

The  clerk  promised  to  think  about  it,  but  did  not 
consider  it  very  probable  that  he  should  ag/ee  to  the 
proposition. 

Harry  returned  to  the  stable,  and  immediately 
notified  Major  Phillips  of  his  intention  to  leave  his 
service  As  may  be  supposed,  the  stable  keeper  was 
Borry  to  lose  him ;  but  he  did  not  wish  to  stand  in 
the  way  of  his  advancement.  He  paid  him  his  wages, 
adding  a  gift  of  five  dollars,  and  kindly  permitted 
him  to  leave  at  once,  as  he  desired  to  procure  a  place 
to  board,  and  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  localities 
of  the  city,  so  that  he  could  discharge  his  duty  tJw 
more  acceptably  to  his  new  employers. 


212  TKY    AGAIN'     JK,    THE    TRIUS 

Tne  ostlers,  too,  were  sorry  tc  part  with  him-- 
particularly  Joe  Flint,  whose  admiration  of  our  here 
was  unbounded.  In  their  rough  and  honest  hearts 
they  wished  him  well.  They  had  often  made  fun  of 
his  good  principles  ;  often  laughed  at  him  for  re- 
fusing to  pitch  cents  in  the  back  yard  on  Sunday, 
and  for  going  to  church  instead ;  often  ridiculed  him 
under  the  name  of  "  Little  Pious  ;  "  still  they  had  a 
great  respect  for  him.  They  who  are  "  persecuted 
for  righteousness'  sake "  —  who  are  made  fun  of 
because  they  strive  to  do  right  —  are  always  sure  of 
Kke  victory  in  the  end.  They  may  be  often  tried,  but 
sooner  or  later  they  shall  triumph. 

After  dinner,  he  paid  another  visit  to  Mrs.  Flint, 
in  Avery  Street.  He  opened  his  proposition  to  boanl 
in  her  family,  to  which  she  raised  several  objections, 
the  chief  of  which  was,  that  she  had  no  room.  The 
plan  was  more  favorably  received  by  Katy  ;  and  she 
suggested  that  they  could  hire  the  little  apartment 
up  stairs,  which  was  used  as  a  kind  of  lumber  room 
by  the  family  in  the  other  part  of  the  house. 

Her  mother  finally  consented  to  the  arrangement, 
aud  it  became  necessary  to  decide  upon   the   teruis ' 


AND    TBITTMPHS    OF    HARKT    "WEST.  213 

for  Harry  was  a  prudent  manager,  and  left  nothing  to 
be  settled  afterwards.  He  then  introduced  the  pro- 
ject he  had  mentioned  to  Edward  ;  and  Mrs.  Flint 
thought  she  could  board  them  both  for  three  dollars 
a  week,  if  they  could  put  up  with  humble  fare. 
Harry  declared  that  he  was  not  "  difficult,"  though 
he  cou'd  not  speak  for  Edward. 

Our  hero  was  delighted  with  the  success  of  hia 
Bchrme,  and  only  wished  that  Edward  had  consented 
to  the  arrangement;  but  the  next  time  he  saw  him, 
somewhat  to  his  surprise,  the  clerk  withdrew  hia 
objections,  and   entered  heartily  into  the  scheme. 

"  You  see,  Harry,  I  shall  make  a  dollar  a  week  — - 
fifty-two  dollars  a  year  —  by  the  arrangement,"  said 
Edward,  after  he  had  consented. 

He  evidently  considered  that  some  apology  wag 
due  from  him  for  descending  from  the  social  dignity 
of  his  position  in  the  Green  Street  boarding  house 
to  the  humble  place  beneath  his  mother's  roof. 

"  Certainly  you  will ;  and  that  is  a  great  deal  of 
money,"  replied  Harry. 

"  It  will  pay  my  theatre  tickets,  and  for  a  ride 
once  a  month  besides." 


S14  try  again;  ok,  the  trials 

"  For  -what?  "  asked  Harry,  astonished  at  big  com* 
panion's  theory  of  economy. 

Edward  repeated  his  statement. 

"  Why  don't  you  save  your  money  ?  " 

"  Save  it  ?  What  is  the  use  of  that  ?  I  mean  to 
have  a  good  time  while  I  can." 

"  You  never  will  be  a  rich  man." 

"  I'll  bet  I  will." 

"  You  could  give  your  mother  and  Katy  a  great 
many  nice  things  with  that  money." 

"  Humph  !  The  old  man  must  take  care  of  them, 
It  is  all  I  can  do  to  take  care  of  myself." 

"  If  I  had  a  mother,  and  brothers  and  sister?,  1 
should  be  glad  to  spend  all  I  got  in  making  them 
nappy,"  sighed  Harry. 

On  the  following  Monday  morning,  Harry  went  to 
his  new  place.  He  was  in  a  strange  position.  All 
was  untried  and  unfamiliar.  Even  the  language  of 
the  clerks  and  salesmen  was  strange  to  him  ;  and 
he  was  painfully  conscious  of  the  deficiencies  of  his 
education  and  of  his  knowledge  of  busine»s.  He 
was  prompt,  active,  and  zealous ;  yet  his  awkward 
aesi   could   not  be   concealed.     The  transition  from 


ANT)    TRIUMPHS    JF    HARRY    WEST.  21. j 

jhe  stable  to  the  store  was  as  great  as  from  a  hove\ 
to  a  palace.  He  made  a  great  many  blunders.  Mr. 
Wake  laughed  at  him ;  Mr.  Wade  swore  at  him ; 
md  all  the  clerks  made  him  the  butt  of  their  mirth  or 
their  ill  nature,  just  as  they  happened  to  feel. 

What  seemed  to  him  worse  than  all,  Edward  Flint 
joined  the  popular  side,  and  laughed  and  swore  with 
the  rest.  Poor  Harry  was  almost  discouraged  before 
dinner  time,  and  began  very  seriously  to  consider 
whether  he  had  not  entirely  mistaken  his  calling. 
Dinner,  however,  seemed  to  inspire  him  with  new 
courage  and  new  energy ;  and  he  hastened  back  to 
the  store,  resolved  to  try  again. 

The  shop  was  crowded  with  customers  ;  and  part- 
ners and  clerks  hallooed  "  Harry  "  till  he  was  so 
confused  that  he  hardly  knew  whether  he  stood  on 
his  head  or  his  heels.  It  was,  Come  here,  Go  there, 
Bring  this,  Bring  that ;  but  in  spite  of  laugh  and 
curse,  of  push  and  kick,  he  persevered,  suitirg  no< 
body,  least  of  all  himself. 

It  was  a  long  day,  a  very  long  day ;  but  it  came 
to  an  end  at  last.  Our  hero  had  hardly  strength 
enough  left  to  put  up  the  shutters.     His  legs  ached 


216  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

his  head  ai;hcd,  and,  worse  than  all,  his  heart  ached 
at  the  manifest  failure  of  his  best  intentions.  He 
thought  of  going  to  the  partners,  and  asking  them 
whether  they  thought  he  was  fit  for  the  place  ;  but 
he  finally  decided  to  try  again  for  another  day,  And 
dragged  himself  home  to  rest  his  weary  limbs. 

He  and  Edward  had  taken  possession  of  their  room 
at  Joe  Flint's  house  that  morning ;  and  on  their 
arrival,  they  found  that  Katy  had  put  every  thing  in 
excellent  order  for  their  reception.  Harry  was  too 
much  fatigued  and  disheartened  to  have  a  very  lively 
appreciation  of  the  comforts  of  his  new  home ;  but 
Edward,  notwithstanding  the  descent  he  had  made 
was  in  high  spirits.  He  even  declared  that  the  room 
they  were  to  occupy  was  better  than  his  late  apart- 
ment in  Green  Street. 

"  Do  you  think  I  shall  get  along  with  my  work, 
Edward  ? "  asked  Harry,  gloomily,  after  they  had 
gone  to  bed. 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Every  body  in  the  store  has  kicked  and  cuffed 
me,  swore  at  and  abused  me,  till  I  feel  like  a  jelly." 

*'  O,  never  irind  that  •,  they  always  do   so  with  t 


AXD  triumphs   of   harry   WEST.  21  I 

g/een  one.     They  served  me  just  so  when  I  first  wenl 
into  business." 

"  Did  they  ?  " 

*'  F;ict.     One  must  live  and  learn." 

"  It  seemed  to  me  just  as  though  I  never  could 
suit  them." 

"  Pooh  ?     Don't  be  blue  about  it." 

"  I  can't  help  it.     I  know  I  did  not  suit  them." 

"  Yes,  you  did." 

*•  What  made  them  laugh  at  me  and  swear  at  me, 
then  ?  " 

"  That  is  the  fashion ;  you  must  talk  right  up  ta 
them.  It'  they  swear  at  you,  swear  at  them  back 
again  —  that  is,  at  the  clerks  and  salesmen,  ll  tuey 
give  you  any  '  lip,'  let  'em  have  as  good  as  they 
send." 

"  I  don't  want  to  do  that." 

"  Must  do  it,  Harry.  '  Live  and  learn '  is  my 
motto.  "When  you  go  among  the  Romans,  do  as  tne 
Romans  do." 

Harry  did  not  like  this  advice  ;  for  he  who,  among 
the   Romans,    would  do   as   the    Romans  do,  among 
hog.*  would  do  as  the  hogv  io. 
19 


6"]tf  TBI    AGATX  ;     OR,    THE    TRIAL8 

"  If  I  only  suit  them,  I  don't  care." 

"  You  do  •,  I  heard  Wake  tell  Wade  that  you  wer« 
a  tirst  rate  boy.'" 

"  Did  you  ?  "  And  Harry's  heart  swelled  with 
joy  to  think  that,  in  spite  of  his  trials,  he  had  actually 
triumphed  in  the  midst  of  them. 

So  he  dropped  the  subject,  with  the  resolution  to 
redouble  his  exertions  to  please  his  employers  the 
next  day,  and  turned  his  thoughts  to  Julia  Bryant,  to 
wonder  if  she  won  still  living,  or  bad  become  an 
tngel  *p<ta«d. 


AND    TBIUMPHS    OF    HABBY    WEST.  219 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

rs     WHICH     HAEBY     BEVISITS     BOCKVILLE,     AND 
MEETS    WITH    A    SEBIOUS    LOSS. 

The  next  evening,  Harry  was  conscious  of  having 
gained  a  little  in  the  ability  to  discharge  his  nove* 
duties.  Either  the  partners  and  the  clerks  had  be- 
come tired  of  swearing  and  laughing  at  him,  or  he 
had  made  a  decided  improvement ;  for  less  fault  was 
found  with  him,  and  his  position  was  much  more  sat- 
isfactory. With  a  light  heart  he  put  up  the  shutters  ; 
for  though  he  was  very  much  fatigued,  the  prestige 
of  future  success  was  so  cheering,  that  he  scarcely 
heeded  his  weary,  aching  limbs. 

Every  day  was  an  improvement  on  the  preceding 
day  ,  and  before  the  week  was  out,  Harry  fcund  him- 
eelf  quite  at  home  in  his  new  occupation.  He  waa 
never  a  moment  behind  the  time  at  which  he  was  re- 
quired   tc    be  at  the    store    in    tte   morning.     Thi< 


220  TKT   AGAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TKIAL8 

promptness  was  specially  noted  by  the  partners;  foi 
when  they  came  to  their  business  in  the  morning; 
they  found  the  store  well  warmed,  the  floor  nicely 
swept,  and  every  thing  put  in  order. 

When  he  was  sent  out  with  bundles,  he  did  not 
stop  to  look  at  the  pictures  in  the  shop  windows,  to 
play  marbles,  or  tell  long  stories  to  other  boys  in  the 
streets.  If  his  employers  had  even  been  very  unrea- 
sonable, they  could  not  have  helped  being  pleased 
with  the  new  boy,  and  Wake  confidentially  assured 
Wade  that  they  had  got  a  treasure. 

Our  hero  was  wholly  devoted  to  his  business.  He 
intended  to  make  a  man  of  himself,  and  he  could 
anly  accomplish  his  purpose  by  constant  exertion,  by 
constant  study,  and  constant  "  trying  again."  He 
was  obliged  to  keep  a  close  watch  over  himself,  fot 
often  ne  was  tempted  to  be  idle  and  negligent,  to  be 
careless  and  indifferent. 

After  supper,  on  Thursday  evening  of  his  second 
week  at  Wake  and  Wade's,  he  hastened  to  Majoi 
Phillips'  stable  to  see  John  Lane,  and  obtain  the 
cews  from  Rockville.  His  heart  beat  violently  when 
be  saw  John's  great  wagon,  for  lie  dreaded  some  fear- 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  22. 

fu!  announcement  from  his  sick  friend.  He  had  nnt 
before  been  so  deeply  conscious  of  his  indebtedness 
to  the  little  angel,  as  now,  when  she  lay  upon  the 
bed  of  pain,  perhaps  of  death.  She  had  kindled  in 
his  soul  a  love  for  the  good  and  the  beautiful.  She 
had  inspired  him  with  a  knowledge  of  the  difference 
between  tne  right  and  the  wrong.  In  a  word,  she 
was  the  guiding  star  of  his  existence.  Her  approba- 
tion was  to  be  the  bright  guerdon  of  fidelity  to  truth 
and  principle. 

"  How   is   Julia  ? "    asked    Harry,  without  giving 
John  time  to  inquire  why  he  had  left  the  stable. 
"  They  think  she  is  a  little  grain  better." 
"  Then   she  is  still  living  ?  "  continued  Harry,   a 
great  load  of  anxiety  removed  from  his  soul. 

"  She  is  ;  but  it  is  very  doubtful  how  it  will  turn 
I  went  in  tc  see  her  yesterday,  and  she  spoke  of 
vou." 

"  Spoke  of  me  ?  " 

"  She  said  she  should  like  to  see  you." 
"  I  should  like  to  see  her  very  much." 
"  Her  father  told  me,  if  you  was  a  mind  to  go  ay 
to  Rockville,  he  would  pay  y>ur  expenses." 
19* 


222  TBF    AGAIN  ;    OB,    THE    TBIALS 

"  I  don't  mind  the  expenses.  I  will  go.  if  I  cab 
get  away." 

*'  Her  father  feels  very  bad  about  it.  Julia  is  an 
only  child,  and  he  would  do  any  thing  in  the  world 
to  please  her." 

"  I  will  go  and  see  the  gentlemen  I  work  for,  and 
if  they  will  let  me,  I  will  go  with  you  to-morrow 
morning." 

"  Better  take  the  stage;  you  will  get  there  so  much 
quicker." 

"  1  will  do  so,  then." 

Harry  returned  home  to  ascertain  of  Edwaid  where 
Mr.  Wake  lived,  and  hastened  to  see  him.  That 
gentleman,  however,  coldly  assured  him,  if  he  went 
to  Rockville,  he  must  lose  his  place  —  they  could 
not  get  along  without  a  boy.  Ir  vain  Harry  urged 
that  he  should  be  gone  but  two  days ;  the  senior  was 
inflexible. 

"  What  shall  I  do  ? "  said  he  to  himself,  when  he 
get  into  the  street  again.  "Mr.  Wake  says,  sie  is 
xx j  relation  of  mine,  and  he  don't  see  why  I  should 
go.  Poor  Julia!  She  may  die,  and  I  shall  ne^ej 
»ee  her  again.     I  must  go." 


A.TS2    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  223 

It  did  not  require  a  gieat  deal  of  deliberation  to 
convince  himself  that  it  was  his  duty  to  visit  the  sick 
girl.  She  had  been  a  true  friend  to  him,  i.z  i  he 
could  afford  to  sacrifice  his  place  to  procure  her  even 
a  slight  gratification.  Affection  and  duty  called  him 
one  way,  self-interest  the  other.  If  he  did  not  go, 
he  suould  regret  it  as  long  as  he  lived.  Perhaps  Mr. 
Wake  would  take  him  again  on  his  return  ;  if  not, 
Le  could  at  least  go  to  work  in  the  stable  again. 

"  Edward,  I  am  going  to  Rockville  to-morrow,"  he 
remarked  to  his  "  chum,"  on  his  return  to  Mrs. 
Flint's. 

"  The  old  man  agreed  to  it,  then  ?  I  thought  he 
wouldn't.  He  never  will  let  a  fellow  off  even  for  a 
day." 

"  He  did  not ;  but  I  must  go." 

"  Better  not,  then.  He  will  discharge  you,  for  he 
is  a  hard  nut '" 

"  I  must  go,"  repeated  Harry,  taking  a  candle,  and 
going  up  to  their  chamber. 

"  You  have  got  more  spunk  than  I  gave  you  credit 
for;  but  you  are  sure  of  losing  your  place,"  replied 
Edwaid,  following  him  up  stairs . 


124  TRY    JLGAIX  J     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

"  I  can't  help  it." 

Harry  opened  a  drawer  in  the  old  broken  Imiean 
ir  the  room,  and  from  beneath  his  clothes  took  out 
(he  great  pill  box  which  served  him  for  a  savinga 
tank 

"  You  have  got  lots  of  money,"  remarked  Edward, 
4*  he  glanced  at  the  contents  of  the  box. 

"  Not  much  ;  only  twelve  dollars,"  replied  Harry, 
iaking  out  three  of  them  to  pay  his  expenses  to 
Rockville. 

"  You  won't  leave  that  box  there,  will  you,  while 
fou  are  gone  ?  " 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Somebody  may  steal  it." 

"  I  guess  not.     I  can  hide  it,  though,  before  I  go." 

"  Better  do  so." 

Harry  took  his  money  and  went  to  a  bookstore  in 
Washington  Street,  where  he  purchased  an  appropri- 
*te  pre2»nt  for  Julia,  for  which  he  gave  half  a  dollar. 
On  his  return,  he  wrote  her  name  in  it,  with  his  own 
&s  the  giver.  Then  t'^e  safety  of  his  money  came  up 
for  consideration;  and  this  matter  was  settled  by 
raising  a  loose  board  in  the  floor,  and  depositing  Kha 


AKD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    "WESl  223 

pill  box  in  a  secure  place.  He  had  scarcely  done  so 
icfore  Edward  joined  him. 

Our  hero  did  not  sleep  much  that  night.  He  was 
no1  altogether  satisfied  with  the  step  he  was  about  to 
taka.  It  was  not  doing  right  by  his  employers ;  but 
he  compromised  the  matter  in  part  by  engaging  Ed- 
ward, "  for  a  consideration,"  to  make  the  fires  and 
sweep  out  the  next  morning. 

At  noon,  on  the  following  day,  he  reached  Rock- 
ville,  and  hastened  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Biyant. 

"  How  is  she  ?  "  he  asked,  breathless  with  interest, 
of  the  girl  who  answered  his  knock. 

"  She  is  better  to-day.  Are  you  the  boy  from 
Boston  ? " 

"  Yes.     Do  they  think  she  will  get  well  ?  " 

"  The  doctor  has  more  hope  of  her." 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  it." 

Harry  was  conducted  into  the  house,  and  Mr.  Bry- 
ant was  informed  of  his  presence. 

"  I  am  glad  you  have  come,  Harry.  Julia  is  much 
better  to-day,"  said  her  father,  taking  him  by  the 
hand  "  She  has  frequently  spoken  of  you,  during 
her  illness,  and  feels  a  very  strong  interest  in  youi 
welfare." 


226  TRY    AGAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TRIALS 

"  She  was  very  good  to  me.  I  don't  know  what 
would  have  tecorae  of  me  if  she  had  not  been  a  friend 
to  me." 

"  That  is  the  secret  of  her  interest  in  you.  We 
love  those  best  whom  we  serve  most.  She  is  asleep 
now ;  but  you  shall  see  her  as  soon  as  she  wakes. 
In  the  mean  time  you  had  better  have  your  dinner. 

Mr.  Bryant  looked  very  pale,  and  his  eyes  were 
reddened  with  weeping.  Harry  saw  how  much  he 
nad  suffered  during  the  last  fortnight ;  but  it  seemed 
natural  to  him  that  he  should  suffer  terribly  at  the 
thought  of  losing  one  so  beautiful  and  precious  as 
the  little  angel. 

He  dined  alone  with  Mr.  Bryant,  for  Mrs.  Bryant 
could  not  leave  the  couch  of  the  little  sufferer.  The 
fond  father  could  speak  of  nothing  but  Julia,  and 
more  than  once  the  tears  flooded  his  eyes,  as  he  told 
Harry  how  meek  and  patient  she  had  been  through 
the  fever,  how  loving  she  was,  and  how  resigned 
even  to  leave  her  parents,  and  go  to  the  heavenlv 
Parent,  to  dwell  with  him  forever. 

Harry  wept,  too ;  and  after  dinner,  he  ^Imosl 
feared  to  enter  the  chamber,  and  beh'ild  tV   wreck 


AND    TKIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  227 

tthirh  disease  had  made  of  that  bright  and  beautiful 
form.  Removing  the  wrapper  from  the  book  he  had 
brought,  —  a  volume  of  sweet  poems,  entitled  "  Angel 
Songs,"  —  he  followed  Mr.  Bryant  into  the  sick  gill's 
chamber. 

"  Ah,  Harry,  I  am  delighted  to  s;>e  you ! "  ex- 
claimed she,  in  a  whisper,  for  her  diseased  throat 
rendered  articulation  difficult  and  painful. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  see  you  so  sick,  Julia,"  replied 
Harry,  taking  the  wasted  hand  she  extended  to  him. 

"  I  am  better,  Harry.  I  feel  as  though  I  should 
get  well  now." 

"  I  hope  you  will." 

"  You  don't  know  how  much  I  have  thought  of 
you,  while  I  lay  here  ;  how  I  wished  you  were  my 
brother,  and  could  come  in  every  day  and  see  me," 
she  continued,  with  a  faint  smile. 

"  I  wish  I  could." 

"  Now  tell  me  how  you  get  along  in  Boston." 

"  Very  well ;  but  your  father  says  I  must  not  tulV 
much  with  you  now.  I  have  brought  you  a  little 
jook  ;  "  and  he  placed  it  in  her  hand. 

"  Jiow    gcod    you    are,   Harry!      'Arjipl    Songs. 


228  TRY    AGAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TRIALS 

Hew  pretty  !  Now,  Harry,  you  must  read  me  on€ 
of  the  angel  songs." 

"  I  will ;  but  I  can't  read  very  well,"  said  he,  as 
he  opened  the  volume. 

But  he  did  read  exceedingly  well.  The  piece  he 
selected  was  a  very  pretty  and  a  very  touching  littla 
song  ;  and  Harry's  feelings  were  so  deeply  moved  by 
the  pathetic  sentiments  of  the  poem  and  their  adap- 
tation to  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  that  he  was 
quite  eloquent. 

When  he  had  finished,  Mrs.  Bryant  interfered  to 
prevent  further  conversation ;  and  Julia,  though  she 
had  a  great  deal  to  say  to  her  young  friend,  cheerful- 
ly yielded  to  her  mother's  wishes,  and  Harry  reluc- 
tantly left  the  room. 

Towards  night  he  was  permitted  to  see  her  again, 
when  he  read  several  of  the  angel  songs  to  her,  and 
^ave  her  a  brief  account  of  the  events  of  his  resi- 
dence in  Boston.  She  was  pleased  with  his  earnest- 
ness, and  smiled  approvingly  upon  him  for  the  moral 
triumphs  he  had  achieved.  The  reward  of  all  his 
struggles  with  trial  and  temptation  was  lavishly  be- 
stowed in  her  commendation,  and  if  fidelity  had  not 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEKY    WEST.  22J 

been  its  own  reward,  he  could  have  accepted  hex 
approval  as  abundant  compensation  foi  all  he  had 
endured.  There  was  no  silly  sentiment  in  Harry's 
composition ;  he  had  read  no  novels,  seen  no  piayfi, 
knew  nothing  of  romance  even  "  in  real  life."  The 
nomage  he  yielded  to  the  fair  and  loving  girl  was  an 
unaffected  reverence  for  simple  purity  and  goodness; 
that  which  the  True  Heart  and  the  True  Life  never 
fail  to  call  forth  wherever  they  exert  their  power. 

On  the  following  morning,  Julia's  condition  was 
very  much  improved,  and  the  physician  spoke  confi- 
dently of  a  favorable  issue.  Harry  was  permitted  to 
pend  an  hour  by  her  bedside,  inhaling  the  pure  spirit 
that  pervaded  the  soul  of  the  sick  one.  She  was  so 
much  better  that  her  father  proposed  to  visit  the  city, 
to  attend  to  some  urgent  business,  which  had  been 
long  deferred  by  her  illness  ;  and  an  opportunity  was 
thus  afforded  for  Harry  to  return. 

Mr.  Bryant  drove  furiously  in  his  haste,  changing 
horses  twice  on  tbe  journey,  so  that  they  reached  the 
city  at  one  o'clock.  On  their  arrival,  Harry's  atten« 
tion  naturally  turned  to  the  reception  he  expected  :o 
receive  from  his  employers.  He  had  no'  spoker  o? 
20 


230  TRT    AC.ATN  ;     OK,    THE    TRIALS 

hia  relations  with  them  at  Rockville,  preferring  not  tc 
pain  them,  on  the  one  hand,  and  not  to  take  too  mwah 
credit  to  himself  for  his  devotion  to  Julia,  on  the 
other.  After  the  horse  was  disposed  of  at  Major 
Phillips's  stable,  Mr.  Bryant  walked  down  town  wifb 
Harry  ;  and  when  they  reached  the  store  of  Wake 
and  Wade,  he  entered  with  him. 

"  What  have  you  come  back  for  ?  "  asked  the 
senior  partner,  rather  coldly,  when  he  saw  the  delin- 
quent.    "  We  don't  want  you." 

Harry  was  confused  at  this  reception,  though  it  waa 
nut  unexpected. 

"  I  didn't  know  but  that  you  might  be  willing  ta 
take  me  again." 

"  No,  we  don't  want  you.  Ah,  Mr.  Bryant  ?  Hap- 
py to  see  you,"  continued  Mr.  Wake,  recognizing 
Harry's  friend. 

"  Did  I  understand  you  aright  ?  Did  you  say  tha< 
you  did  not  want  my  young  friend,  here?"  replied 
Mr.  Bryant,  taking  the  offered  hand  of  Mr.  Wake. 

"  I  did  say  so,"  said  the  senior.  "  I  was  not  aware 
that  he  was  your  friend,  though;  "  and  he  procerded 
tc  inform  Mr.  Bryant,  that  Harry  had  left  them 
tgainst  their  wish. 


AND    TRITTMPHS    OF    HARRY     WEST.  2tU 

"  A  few  words  with  you,  if  you  please." 

Mr.  Wake  conducted  him  to  the  private  office, 
where  they  remained  for  half  an  hour. 

"  It  is  all  right,  Harry,"  continued  Mr.  "Wake,  on 
tLeir  return.      "  I  did  not  understand  the  matter." 

"  Thank  you,  sir  !  "  ejaculated  our  hero,  rejoiced 
to  find  his  place  was  still  secure.  "  I  would  no4 
have  gone  if  I  could  possibly  have  helped  it." 

"  You  did  right,  my  boy,  and  I  honor  you  for  youl 
courage  and  constancy." 

Mr.  Bryant  bade  him  an  affectionate  adieu,  pr>; min- 
ing to  write  to  him  often  until  Julia  recovered,  s»nd 
then  departed. 

With  a  grateful  heart  Harry  immediately  resumed 
his  duties,  and  the  partners  were  probably  as  glad  to 
retain  him  as  he  was  to  remain. 

At  night,  when  he  went  to  his  chamber,  he  raised 
the  loose  board  to  get  the  pill  box,  containing  his 
savings,  in  order  to  return  the  money  he  Lad  not 
expended.  To  his  consternation,  he  ibscjvered  that 
it  was  gone  ! 


232  TBT    AGAIN  :     OB.    THE    THIAI.fi 


CHAPTER    XVITT. 

IK  TPKICH  HARRY  MEETS  "WITH  AN  0L7)  AC« 
CtTAIVTANCE,  AND  GETS  A  HARD  KNOCK  OH 
THE     HEAD. 

It  was  in  vain  that  Harry  searched  beneath  the 
bn-kin  floor  for  his  lost  treasure;  it  could  not  be 
found.  He  raised  the  boards  up,  and  satisfied  him- 
self that  it  had  not  slipped  away  into  any  crevice,  or 
fallen  through  into  the  room  below ;  and  the  conclu- 
sion was  inevitable  that  the  box  had  been  stolen. 

Who  could  have  stolen  it  ?  The  mystery  confused 
Harry  ;  for  he  was  certain  that  no  one  had  seen  him 
deposit  the  box  beneath  the  floor.  No  one  except 
Edward  even  knew  that  he  had  any  money.  He  was 
sure  that  neither  Mrs.  Flint  nor  Katy  would  have 
(stolen  it ;  and  he  was  not  willing  to  believe  that  bin 
room  mate  would  be  guilt j  of  such  a  mean  and  cou< 
temptible  act. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  233 

He  tried  to  assure  himself  that  it  had  not  been 
stolen  —  that  it  was  still  somewhere  beneath  the 
tioor ;  and  he  pulled  up  another  hoard,  to  iesumi 
the  search.  He  had  scarcely  done  so  before  Edward 
joined  him. 

"  What  are  you  about,  Harry  ?  "  he  asked,  appar- 
ently very  much  astonished  at  his  chum's  occupation 
"  Are  you  going  to  pull  the  house  down  ? " 

"  Not  exactly.  You  know  my  pill  box  ?  "  replied 
Hurry,  susoending  operations  to  watch  Edward' 
expression  when  he  told  him  of  his  loss. 

"  The  one  you  kept  your  money  in  ?  " 

"  Yes.     Well,  it  is  gone." 

"  Gone  !  "  exclaimed  Edward,  starting  back  with 
surprise . 

"  It  is  either  lost  or. stolen." 

"  What  did  you  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  Put  it  here,  under  this  loose  board." 

"  It  must  be  there  now,  then.  I  will  help  yoi 
find  it." 

Edward  manifested  a  great  deal  of  enthusiasm  ia 
the  search.  He  was  sure  it  must  be  where  Harry 
had  put  it,  <>r  that  it  had  rolled  back  out  of  sight; 


234  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR.    THE    TRIALS 

and  he  began  tearing  up  the  floor  with  a  zeal  that 
threaten  ;d  the  destruction  of  the  building.  But  ths 
box  could  not  be  found,  and  they  were  oblige  1  10 
abandon  the  search. 

"  Too  bad,  Harry." 

"  That  is  a  fact ;  I  can't  spare  that  money,  any 
how.  I  have  been  a  good  while  earning  it,  and  it  is 
too  thundering  bad  to  lose  it." 

"  I  don't  understand  it,"  continued  Edward. 

"  Nor  I  either,"  replied  Harry,  looking  his  com- 
panion sharp  in  the  eye.  "  No  one  knew  I  had  it 
but  you." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  I  stole  it?"  exclaimed  Ed- 
ward, doubling  his  fist,  while  his  cheek  reddened 
with  anger. 

"  I  don't  say  so." 

"  Humph  !     Well,  you  better  not." 

"  Don't  get  mad,  Edward.  I  didn't  mean  to  lay 
it  to  you." 

''•  Didn't  you  ?  "  And  Edward  was  very  glad  to 
have  the  matter  compromised. 

"  I  did  not ;  perhaps  I  spoke  hasti'y.  You  know 
how  hard  I  worked  for  this  money ;  and  it  seem? 
hard  to  lose  it.     But  no  matter;  I  will  try  again." 


A.SV    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEKTf    WEST.  235 

M/s  Flint  and  Katy  were  much  grieved  ^hen 
If  arry  told  of  his  loss.  They  looked  as  though  they 
Busp?cted  Edward;  but  they  said  nothing;  for  it  waa 
very  hard  to  accuse  a  son  or  a  brother  of  such  a 
crime. 

Mrs.  Flint  advised  Harry  to  put  his  money  in  the 
savings  bank  in  future,  promising  to  take  care  of  hia 
Bpare  funds  till  they  amounted  to  five  dollars,  which 
was  then  the  smallest  sum  that  would  be  received. 
It  was  a  long  time  before  our  hero  became  reconciled 
to  his  loss.  He  had  made  up  his  mind  to  be  a  rich 
man ;  and  he  had  carefully  hoarded  every  cent  he 
could  spare,  thus  closely  imitating  the  man  who  got 
rich  by  saving  his  fourpences. 

A  few  days  after  the  loss,  he  was  reading  in  one 
of  Katy's  Sunday  school  books  about  a  miser.  The 
wretch  was  held  up  as  a  warning  to  young  folks,  by 
showing  them  how  he  starved  his  body  and  soul  foi 
*he  sake  of  gold. 

"  That's  why  I  lost  my  money  !  "  exclaimed  Harry 
as  he  laid  the  book  upon  the  window. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Harry  ? "  asked  Katy,  wb« 
ft  it  near  him. 


236  TRY   AGAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TRIALS 

•■  I  have  been  hoarding  up  my  money  just  like  thifl 
aid  man  in  the  book." 

'*  You  are  not  a  miser,  Harry.  You  couldn't  be 
mean  and  stingy,  if  you  tried." 

"  Yes,  I  could.     I  love  money." 

"  So  does  every  body." 

"  A  miser  wouldn't  do  what  you  did  for  us,  Harry,*' 
added  Mrs.  Flint.  "  We  ought  to  be  careful  and 
saving." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  too  much  of  money.  After 
all,  perhaps  it  was  just  as  well  that  I  lost  that 
money." 

"  I  am  sorry  you  lost  it ;  for  I  don't  think  there 
is  any  danger  of  youi  becoming  a  miser,"  said 
Kary. 

"  Perhaps  not ;  at  any  rate,  it  has  set  me  to 
thinking." 

Haiiy  finished  the  book;  and  it  was,  fortunately, 
just  such  a  work  as  he  required  to  give  him  right 
and  proper  views  in  regard  to  the  value  of  wealth. 
His  dream  of  being  a  rich  man  was  essentially  modi- 
fied by  these  views  ;  and  he  renewedly  resoh  ed  that 
it  was  better  to  be  a  good  man  than  to  be  i  rub.  man, 


AW1>    TB1UMPHS    OF     UAREY    WEST.  237 

if  ne  could  not  be  both.  It  seemed  to  him  a  little 
remarkable  that  the  minister  should  preach  upon  this 
rery  topic  on  the  following  Sunday,  taking  for  his 
text  thn  words,  "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you." 
He  wae  deeply  impressed  by  the  sermon,  probably 
because  it  was  on  a  subject  to  which  he  had  given 
some  attention. 

A  few  days  after  his  return  from  Rockville,  Harry 
received  a  very  cheerful  letter  from  Mr.  Bryant,  to 
which  Julia  had  added  a  few  lines  in  a  postscript. 
The  little  angel  was  rapidly  recovering,  and  our  hero 
was  rejoiced  beyond  expression.  The  favorable  ter- 
mination of  her  illness  was  a  joy  which  far  outbal- 
anced the  loss  of  his  money,  and  he  was  as  cheerful 
and  contented  as  ever.  As  he  expressed  it,  in  rather 
homely  terms,  he  had  got  "  the  streak  of  fat  and  the 
streak  of  lean."  Julia  was  alive ;  was  to  smile  upon 
him  again :  was  still  to  inspire  him  with  that  love 
of  goodness  which  had  given  her  such  an  influence 
over  him. 

Week  after  week  passed  by,  and  Harry  heard  nolh' 
mg  of  his  lost  treasure ;  but  Julia  had  fully  recoT< 


238  TRY   AGAIN  ;     OE,    THE    TRIALS 

ered,  and  for  the  treasure  lost  an  incomparably  greater 
treasure  had  been  gained.  Edward  and  himself  con- 
tinued to  occupy  the  same  room,  though  ever  since 
the  loss  of  the  money  box  Harry's  chum  had  tieated 
him  coldly.  There  had  never  been  much  sympathy 
between  them ;  for  while  Edward  was  at  the  theatre, 
or  perhaps  at  worse  places,  Harry  was  at  home,  read- 
ing some  good  book,  writing  a  letter  to  Rockville,  or 
employed  in  some  other  worthy  occupation.  While 
Harry  was  at  church  or  at  the  Sunday  school,  Ed- 
ward, in  company  with  some  dissolute  companion, 
was  riding  about  the  adjacent  country. 

Mrs.  Flint  often  remonstrated  with  her  son  upon 
the  life  he  led,  and  the  dissipated  habits  he  was  con- 
tracting ;  and  several  times  Harry  ventured  to  intro- 
duce the  subject.  Edward,  however,  would  not  hear 
a  word  from  either.  It  is  true  that  we  either  grow 
better  or  worse,  as  we  advance  in  life ;  and  Fdward 
Flint's  path  was  down  a  headlong  steep.  His  mother 
wept,  and  begged  him  to  be  a  better  b  *j.  He  only 
laughed  at  her. 

Harry  often  wondered  how  he  could  afford  to  ridfc 
out,  and  visit  the  theatre  and  other  places  of  am  ise* 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  239 

meat  so  frequently.  His  salary  wis  only  five  dollars 
a  week  now ;  it  was  only  four  when  he  had  *aid  it 
was  five.  He  seemed  to  have  money  at  all  times, 
and  to  spend  it  very  freely.  He  could  not  help  be- 
lieving that  the  contents  of  his  pill  box  had  paid  for 
some  of  the  "  stews  "  and  "  Tom  and  Jerrys  "  which 
his  reckless  chum  consumed.  But  the  nine  dollars 
he  had  lost  would  have  been  but  a  drop  in  the  bucket 
compared  with  his  extravagant  outlays. 

One  day,  about  six  months  after  Harry's  return 
from  Kockville,  as  he  was  engaged  behind  the  coun- 
ter, a  young  man  entered  the  store,  and  accosted  him 

"  Halloo,  Harry  !     How  are  you  ?  " 

It  was  a  familiar  voice  ;  and,  to  Harry's  surprise, 
but  not  much  to  his  satisfaction,  he  recognized  his 
old  companion,  Ben  Smart,  who,  he  had  learned  Irora 
Mr.  Bryant,  had  been  sent  to  the  house  ul  correction 
for  burning  Squire  Walker's  barn. 

"How  dc  you  do,  Ben?"  returned  Harry,  not  verj 
cerdiady. 

"  So  you  are  here  —  are  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  here  this  &ix  months." 

"  Good  place  ?  " 


240  TRY    AGAIN  ;    UK,    THE    TBIAL8 

"  Firsi  rate." 

i:  Any  chance  for  me  ? " 

"  No.  I  gueas  not." 

"  You  have  got  a  sign  out  for  a  boy,  I  spe." 

It  was  true  they  had.  There  were  more  errands 
to  run  than  one  boy  could  attend  to ;  besides,  Harry 
had  proved  himself  so  faithful  and  so  intelligent,  that 
Mr.  Wake  wished  to  retain  him  in  the  store,  to  fit 
him  for  a  salesman. 

**  You  can  speak  a  good  word  for  me,  Harry ;  for 
I  should  like  to  work  here,"  continued  Ben. 

"■  I  thought  you  were  in  —  in  the " 

Harry  did  not  like  to  use  the  offensive  expression ; 
and  Ben's  face  darkened  when  he  discovered  what 
the  other  was  going  to  say. 

"  Not  a  word  about  that,"  said  he.  "  If  you  ever 
mention  that  little  matter,  I'll  take  your  life." 

"  But  how  was  it?  " 

"  My  father  got  me  out,  and  then  I  ran  away.  Not 
&  word  more,  for  I  had  as  lief  be  hung  for  an  ol J 
sheep  as  a  lamb." 

"  There  is  Mr.  Wake ;  you  can  apply  to  him," 
continued  H-irry. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY   WEST.  241 

Ben  walked  boldly  up  to  Mr.  Wake,  and  asked 
for  the  place,  The  senior  talked  with  him  a  few 
moments,  and  then  retired  to  his  private  office,  call- 
ing Harry  as  ho  entered. 

"  If  you  say  any  thing,  I  will  be  the  death  of  you,' 
whispered  Ben,  as  Harry  passed  him  on  his  way  to 
the  office. 

Our  hero  was  not  particularly  pleased  with  thes* 
threats ;  he  certainly  was  not  frightened  by  them. 

"  Do  you  know  that  boy,  Harry  ? "  asked  Mr. 
Wakp,  as  he  presented  himself  before  the  senior. 

"  I  do,  sir." 

"  Who  is  he,  and  what  is  he  ?  " 

"  His  name  is  Benjamin  Smart.  He  belongs  to 
Redfield." 

•'  To  Redfield  ?  He  said  he  came  from  Worces- 
ter." 

"  I  believe  Mr.  Bryant  told  you  the  story  about  mj 
levring  Redfield,"  said  Harry. 

"  He  did." 

"  That  is  the  boy  that  run  away  with  me." 

"  And  the  one  that  set  the  barn  afire  ?  * 

«;  Yea,  sir." 

21 


242  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

"  That  is  enough."  And  Harry  returned  to  hii 
work  at  the  counter. 

"  What  did  he  say  to  you  ?  "  asked  Ben. 

Before  Harry  had  time  to  make  any  reply,  Mr. 
Wake  joined  them. 

"  We  don't  want  you,  young  man,"  said  he. 

With  a  glance  of  hatred  at  Harry,  the  applicant 
left  the  store.  Since  leaving  Redfield,  our  hero's 
views  of  duty  had  undergone  a  change ;  and  he  now 
realized  that  to  screen  a  wicked  person  was  to  plot 
with  him  against  the  good  order  of  society.  He 
knew  Ben's  character ;  he  had  no  reason,  after  theii 
interview,  to  suppose  it  was  changed ;  and  he  could 
not  wrong  his  employers  by  permitting  them  igno- 
rantly  to  engage  a  bad  boy,  especially  when  he  had 
been  questioned  directly  on  the  point. 

Towards  evening,  Harry  was  sent  with  a  bundle 
to  a  place  in  Boylston  Street,  which  required  him  to 
cross  the  Common.  On  his  return,  when  he  reached 
the  corner  of  the  burying  ground,  Ben  Smart,  who 
had  evidently  followed  him,  and  lay  in  wait  at  this 
spot  for  him,  sprang  from  his  covert  upon  him.  The 
young  villain  struck  him  a  heavj  blow  in  the  eye 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    "WEST.  Z43 

oefore  Harry  realized  his  purpose.  The  blow,  how- 
ever, was  vigorously  returned ;  but  Ben,  besides 
oeing  larger  and  stronger  than  his  victim,  had  a 
large  stone  in  his  hand,  with  which  he  struck  him  a 
blow  on  the  side  of  the  head,  knocking  him  insensi- 
ble to  the  ground. 

The  wretch,  seeing  that  he  had  done  his  work,  fled 
along  the  side  of  the  walk  of  the  burying  ground, 
pursued  by  several  persons  who  had  witnessed  the 
assault.  Ben  was  a  fleet  runner  this  time,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  making  his  escape. 


844  iky  again;   or.  the  triatjb 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

IH    WHICH     HARRY     FINDS     THAT    EVEN    A    BROKEM 
HEAD    MAT    BE    OF    SOME    USE    TO    A    PERSON. 

When  Harry  recovered  his  consciousness,  he  found 
dimself  in  an  elegantly  furnished  chamber,  with  sev- 
eral persons  standing  around  the  bed  upon  which  he 
had  been  laid.  A  physician  was  bending  over  him, 
engaged  in  dressing  the  severe  wound  he  had  received 
in  the  side  of  his  head. 

"  There,  young  man,  you  have  had  a  narrow  es- 
cape," said  the  doctor,  as  he  saw  his  patient's  eyes 
open. 

"  Where  am  I  ?  "  asked  Harry,  faintly,  as  he  tried 
to  concentrate  his  wandering  senses. 

"  You  are  in  good  hands,  my  boy.  What  is  youl 
name  ? " 

"  Harry  West.  Can't  I  go  home  now  ?  "  replied 
.he  sufferer,  trying  to  rise  on  the  bed. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  245 

"  Do  you  feel  as  though  you  could  walk  home  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  ;  I  feel  kind  of  faint." 

"  Does  your  head  pain  you  ? " 

"  No,  sir ;  it  feels  numb,  and  every  thing  seems  t§ 
be  flying  round." 

"  I  dare  say." 

Harry  expressed  an  earnest  desire  to  go  home,  and 
the  physician  consented  to  accompany  him  in  a  car- 
riage to  Mrs.  Flint's  residence.  He  had  been  con- 
veyed in  his  insensible  condition  to  a  house  in  Bcyl- 
ston  Street,  the  people  of  which  were  very  kind  to 
him,  and  used  every  effort  to  make  him  comfortable. 

A  carriage  was  procured,  and  Harry  was  assisted 
to  enter  it ;  for  he  was  so  weak  and  confused  that  he 
could  not  stand  alone.  Ben  had  struck  him  a  terrible 
blow ;  and,  as  the  physician  declared,  it  was  almost 
a  miracle  that  he  had  not  been  killed. 

Mrs.  Flint  and  Katy  were  shocked  and  alarmed 
when  they  saw  the  helpless  boy  borne  into  the  house  ; 
but  every  thing  that  the  circumstances  required  wai 
doco  for  him. 

"  Has  Edward  come  home  ?  ' '  he  asked,  when  tbej 
had  placed  him  on  the  bed. 
21  * 


2*6  TRY    AGAIN  J     OR,    TH£    TRIALS 

«  No.  not  yet." 

"  They  will  wonder  what  has  become  of  me  at  the 
Ptore,"  continued  the  sufferer,  whose  thoughts  revert* 
ed  to  his  post  of  duty. 

"  I  will  go  down  to  the  store,  and  tell  them  what 
has  happened,"  said  Mr.  Callender,  the  kind  gentle- 
mar,  to  whose  house  Harry  had  been  carried,  and  who 
had  attended  him  to  his  home. 

"  Thank  you,  sir ;  you  are  very  good.  I  don't 
want  them  to  think  that  I  have  run  away,  or  any 
thing  of  that  sort." 

"  They  will  not  think  so,  I  am  sure,"  returned 
Mr.  Callender,  as  he  departed  upon  his  mission. 

"  Do  you  think  I  can  go  to  the  store  to-morrow  ?  " 
asked  Harry,  turning  to  the  physician. 

"  I  am  afraid  not ;  you  must  keep  very  quiet  for  a 
time." 

Harry  did  not  like  this  announcement.  He  had 
never  been  sick  a  day  in  his  life ;  and  it  seemed  to 
him  just  then  as  though  the  world  could  not  possibly 
move  on  without  him  to  help  the  thing  along.  A 
gieat  many  persons  cherish  similar  notions,  and  can« 
**ot  afford  to  be  sick  a  single  day. 


AJTD    TRIUMPHS    OF    KAKRf    WEST.  24? 

I  should  like  to  tell  my  readers  at  some  length 
what  blessings  come  to  us  while  we  are  sick  ;  what 
angels  with  healing  ministrations  for  the  soul  ^isit 
the  couch  of  pain ;  what  holy  thoughts  are  sometimes 
kindled  in  the  darkened  chamber ;  what  noble  reso^ 
hitions  have  their  birth  in  the  heart  when  the  head  is 
pillowed  on  the  bed  of  sickness.  But  my  remaining 
space  will  not  permit  it ;  and  I  content  myself  with 
remarking,  that  sickness  in  its  place  is  just  as  great 
a  blessing  as  health  ;  that  it  is  part  of  our  needed 
discipline.  When  any  of  my  young  friends  are  sick, 
therefore,  let  them  yield  uncomplainingly  to  their  lot, 
assured  that  He  who  hath  them  in  his  keeping  "doeth 
all  things  well." 

Harry  was  obliged  to  learn  this  lesson ;  and  when 
the  pain  in  his  head  began  to  be  almost  intolerable, 
he  fretted  and  vexed  himself  about  things  at  the 
store.  He  was  not  half  as  patient  as  he  might  have 
been ;  and,  during  the  evening,  he  said  a  great  many 
hr.Td  things  about  Ben  Smart,  the  author  of  his  mis* 
fortune.  I  am  sorry  to  say  he  cherished  some  ma- 
lignant, revengeful  feelings  towards  Kim,  and  looked 
forward  with  a  great  dea,1   of  satisfaction  to  the  tim* 


248  irt  again;   or,  the  trials 

when  he  should  be  arrested  and  punished  for  hit 
crime. 

Both  Mr.  Wake  and  Mr.  Wade  cahsd  upon  him 
ae  soon  as  they  heard  of  his  misfortune.  They  were 
very  indignant  when  they  learned  that  Hairy  was 
Buffering  for  telling  the  truth.  They  assuied  him 
that  they  should  miss  him  very  much  at  the  store, 
but  they  would  do  the  best  they  could  —  which,  of 
course,  was  very  pleasant  to  him.  But  they  told  him 
they  could  get  along  without  him,  bade  him  not  fret, 
and  said  his  salary  should  be  paid  just  the  same  a& 
though  he  did  his  work. 

*'  Thank  you  !  thank  you  !  You  are  very  good," 
exclaimed  Harry. 

"  Yes,"  Mr.  Wake  continued ;  "  and,  as  it  will 
cost  you  more  to  be  sick,  we  will  raise  your  wages 
to  four  dollars  a  week.     What  do  you  say,  Wade  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  junior,  warmly. 

There  was  no  possible  excuse  for  frptting  new. 
With  so  many  kind  friends  around  him,  he  had  no 
•xcuse  for  fretting ;  but  his  human  nature  rebelled  at 
bis  lot,  and  he  made  himself  more  miserable  than 
the  pain  of  h?s  wound  could  possibly  have  made  him 


AND    TRIVMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  249 

Mrs.  Flint,  who  sat  all  night  by  his  bed  side,  labored 
ffi  vain  to  make  him  resigned  to  his  situation.  It 
Beamed  as  though  the  great  trial  of  his  lifetime  had 
come  —  that  which  he  was  least  prepared  to  meet 
and  conquer. 

The  next  day,  he  was  very  feverish.  His  hea^ 
ached,  and  the  pain  of  his  wound  was  very  severe 
His  moral  condition  was,  if  possible,  worse  than  on 
the  preceding  night.  He  was  fretful,  morose,  and 
unreasonable  towards  those  kind  friends  who  kept 
vigil  around  his  bed  side.  Strange  as  it  may  seem, 
and  strange  as  it  did  seem  to  himself,  his  thoughts 
seldom  reverted  to  the  little  angel.  Once,  when  he 
thought  of  her  extended  on  the  bed  of  pain  as 
he  was  then,  her  example  seemed  to  reproach  him. 
She  had  been  meek  and  patient  through  all  her  suf- 
ferings —  had  been  content  to  die,  even,  if  it  was  the 
w  ill  of  the  Father  in  heaven.  With  a  peevish  excla- 
mation, he  drove  her  —  his  guardian  angel,  as  she 
oftei  seemed  to  him  —  from  his  mind,  with  the  re- 
flection that  she  could  not  have  been  as  sick  as  he 
was,  that  she  did  not  endure  as  much  pain  as  he  did 
For  several  days    he   remained   in   i  retty  much    tiw» 


250  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

same  state.  His  head  ached,  and  the  fever  burned 
in  his  veins.  His  moral  symptoms  were  not  im- 
proved, and  he  continued  to  snarl  and  growl  at  those 
who  took  care  of  him. 

"  Give  me  some  cold  water,  marm ;  I  don't  want 
your  slops,"  fretted  he,  when  Mrs.  Flint  brought  him 
his  drink. 

"  But  the  doctor  says  you  mustn't  have  cold  wa- 
ter."    It  was  twenty-five  years  ago. 

"  Confound  the  doctor  !  Give  me  a  glass  of  cold 
water,  and  I  will " 

The  door  opened  then,  causing  him  to  suspend  the 
petulant  words ;  for  one  stood  there  whose  good 
opinion  he  valued  more  than  that  of  any  other  peTson. 

"  O  Harry !  I  am  so  sorry  to  see  you  so  sick  ! " 
exclaimed  Julia  Bryant,  rushing  to  his  bed  side. 

She  was  followed  by  her  father  and  mother ;  and 
Katy  had  admitted  them  unannounced  to  the  chamber. 

"  Julia  !  is  it  you  ?  "  replied  Harry,  smiling  for  the 
first  time  since  the  assault. 

"  Yes,  Harry ;  I  hope  you  are  better.  When  I 
heard  about  it  last  night,  I  would  not  give  fathei 
any  peace  till  he  promised  to  bring  me  to  Boston." 


AXD    TRIUMI  IS    OF    H1ERY    ■WEST.  251 

"  Don't  be  so  wild,  Julia,"  interposed  her  mother. 
*  You  forget  that  he  is  very  sick." 

'*'  Forgive  me,  Harry  ;  I  was  so  glad  and  so  sorry. 
I  hope  I  didn't  make  your  head  ache,"  she  added,  in 
a  very  gentle  tone. 

**  No,  Julia.  It  was  very  good  of  you  to  come 
and  see  me." 

Harry  felt  a  change  come  over  him  the  moment 
she  entered  the  room.  The  rebellious  thoughts  in 
his  bosom  seemed  to  be  banished  by  her  presence ; 
and  though  his  head  ached  and  his  flesh  burned  as 
much  as  ever,  he  somehow  had  more  courage  to  en- 
dure them. 

After  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bryant  had  asked  him  a  few 
questions,  and  expressed  their  sympathy  in  proper 
terms,  they  departed,  leaving  Julia  to  remain  with 
the  invalid  for  a  couple  of  hours. 

"  I  did  not  expect  to  see  you,  Julia,"  said  Harry, 
when  they  had  gone. 

"  Didn't  you  think  I  would  do  as  much  fop  you 
as  you  did  for  me  ?  " 

*•  It  was  rather  different  with  you.  I  uSl.  ur.ly  a 
poor  boy,  and  you  are  a  rich  man's  child." 


252  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OS,    THE    TEIAL8 

"  Pooh,  Harry  !  Our  souls  are  all  of  a  color.  Yoxi 
can't  think  how  had  I  felt  when  father  got  Mr. 
Wake's  letter." 

"  It's  a  hard  case   to  be  knocked   down  in   that 
way,  and  laid  up  in  the  house  for  a  week  or  two." 
*  I  know  it ;  hut  we  must  be  patient." 

"Can't  be  patient.  I  haven't  any  patience  —  not 
a  bit.  If  I  could  get  hold  of  Ben  Smart,  I  would 
choke  him.  I  hope  they  will  catch  him,  and  send 
him  to  the  state  prison  for  life." 

Julia  looked  sad.  These  malignant  words  did  not 
sound  like  those  of  the  Harry  West  she  had  known 
and  loved.  They  were  so  bitter  that  they  curdled  the 
warm  blood  in  her  veins,  and  the  heart  of  Harry 
seemed  less  tender  than  before. 

"  Harry,"  said  she,  in  soft  tones,  and  so  sad  that 
he  could  not  but  observe  the  change  which  had  come 
over  her. 

"  Well,  Julia." 

"  You  don't  mean  what  you  said." 

"  Don't  mean  it  ?  " 

''No,  I  am  sure  you  don't.  Do  you  remembei 
what  the  Bible  says  ?  " 


AND    TEIUM1HS    OF    HAEET    WEST.  253 

"  What  does  it  say  ?  "  asked  he,  deeply  impressed 
by  the  sad  and  solemn  tones  of  the  little  angel. 

"  '  Forgive  your  enemies,'  Harry." 

"  Forgive  Ben  Smart,  after  he  has  almL=t  killed 
me?" 

Julia  took  up  the  Bible,  which  lay  on  the  table  by 
the  bed  side,  —  it  was  the  one  she  had  given  him,  — 
and  read  scleral  passages  upon  the  topic  she  bad 
introduced. 

Harry  was  ashamed  of  himself.  The  gentle  rebuke 
ehe  administered  touched  his  soul,  and  he  thought 
how  peevish  and  ill-natured  he  had  been. 

"  You  have  been  badly  hurt,  Harry,  and  you  are 
very  sick.  Now,  let  me  ask  you  one  question : 
Which  would  you  rather  be,  Harry  West,  sick  as 
you  are,  or  Ben  Smart,  who  struck  the  blow  ?  " 

"  I  had   rather  be  myself,"  replied   he,  promptly 

"  You  ought  to  be  glad  that  you  are  Harry  West, 
Instead  of  Ben  Smart.  Sick  as  you  are,  I  am  9ure 
you  are  a  great  deal  happier  than  he  can  be,  even  if 
he  is  not  punished  for  striking  you." 

"You  are  right,  Julia.  I  have  been  very  wicked 
Here  I  have    been  grumbling  and  growling  all  tht 

as 


254  try  again;  or,  the  trials 

time  for  four  lays.  I  have  learned  better  It  if 
lucky  for  me  that  I  am  Harry,  instead  of  Ben.  ' 

"  I  am  sure  I  have  been  a  great  deal  better  since 
I  was  sick  than  before.  When  I  lay  on  the  bed, 
hardly  able  to  move,  I  kept  thinking  all  the  time ; 
and  my  thoughts  did  me  a  great  deal  of  good." 

Harry  had  learned  his  lesson,  and  Julia's  presenca 
was  indeed  an  angel's  visit.  For  an  hour  longer  she 
Bat  by  his  bed,  and  her  words  were  full  of  inspira- 
tion ;  and  when  her  father  called  for  her,  he  could 
nardly  repress  a  tear  as  she  bade  him  good  night. 

After  she  had  gone  Harry  begged  Mrs.  Flint  and 
Katy  to  forgive  him  for  being  so  cross,  promising  to 
be  patient  in  the  future.  And  he  kept  his  promise. 
The  next  day,  Julia  came  again.  She  read  to  him, 
conversed  with  him  about  the  scenes  of  the  preceding 
autumn  in  the  woods,  and  told  him  again  about  hei 
own  illness.  In  the  afternoon,  she  bade  him  a  fina 
adieu,  as  she  was  to  return  that  day  to  her  home. 

The  patience  and  resignation  which  he  had  learnt  J 
gave  a  favorable  turn  to  his  sickness,  and  he  began 
to  improve.  It  was  a  month,  however,  bsfore  he  wag 
»ble  to  take  his  place  in  the  store  agaii .     Without 


AND    TRIUMTRS    OF    HARRY    AVEST  25.5 

She  assistance  of  Julia,  perhaps,  he  had  not  learned 
th<;  moral  of  sickness  so  well.  As  it  was,  he  came 
forth  from  his  chamber  with  truer  and  loftier  motives, 
and  with  a  more  earnest  desire  to  lead  the  true  life. 

Ben  Smart  had  bjen  ai  rested  ;  and,  shortly  after 
nis  recovery,  Harry  was  summoned  as  a  witness  a*, 
his  trial.  It  was  a  plain  case  ;  and  Ben  was  seat 
to  tfie  h  >use  of  correction  for  a  long  term 


25F  iRY  asatk:  ob.  the  trials 


CHAPTER    XX. 

IM    WHICH    HARRY    PASaSS   THROUGH    HIS   SEVERE81 
TRIAL,  AND  ACHIEVES  HIS  GREATEST  1RIUMPH. 

Three  years  may  appear  to  b3  a  great  while  to  the 
little  pilgrim  through  life's  vicissitudes ;  but  they 
e.ion  pass  away  and  are -as  "a  talc  that  is  told."  To 
note  all  the  events  of  Harry's  experience  through  this 
period,  would  require  another  volume  ;  therefore  I 
can  only  tell  the  reader  what  he  was,  and  what  results 
he  had  achieved  in  that  time.  Jt  was  filled  with  triaU 
anu  temptations,  not  all  of  which  were  overcome 
without  care  and  privation.  Often  he  failed,  was 
often  disappointed,  and  often  was  pained  to  see  how 
feebly  the  Spirit  warred  againrt  the  Flesh. 

He  loved  money,  and  avaric.  frequently  prompted 
him  to  do  those  things  which  would  have  wrecked 
his  bright  hopes.  That  vision  of  the  grandeui  and 
influence  of  the  ricli  .v.t.i.'s  posirlcu  sometimes  demi- 


AND    1'KIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  257 

3d  bim,  causing  him  to  forget  for  a  time  that  the  sou] 
would  live  forever,  while  the  body  and  its  treasures 
would  perish  in  the  grave.  As  he  grew  older,  he 
reasoned  more ;  his  principles  became  more  firmly 
fixed ;  and  the  object  of  existence  assumed  a  more 
definite  character.  He  was  an  attentive  student,  and 
every  year  not  only  made  him  wiser,  but  better.  1 
do  nc*  mean  to  say  that  Harry  was  a  remarkably 
good  boy,  that  his  character  was  perfect,  or  any 
thing  of  the  kind.  He  meant  well,  and  tried  to  do 
well,  and  he  did  not  struggle  in  vain  against  the  trials 
and  temptations  that  beset  him.  I  dare  say,  those 
with  whom  he  associated  did  not  consider  him  much 
better  than  themselves.  It  is  true,  he  did  not  swear, 
did  not  frequent  the  haunts  of  vice  and  dissipation, 
did  not  spend  his  Sundays  in  riding  about  the  coun- 
try ;  yet  he  had  his  faults,  and  captious  people  did 
nr>t  fail  to  see  them. 

He  was  still  with  Wake  and  Wade,  though  he  was 
ft  salesman  now,  on  a  salary  of  five  dollars  a  week. 
lie  still  boarded  with  Mrs.  Flint,  though  Edward  wab 
no  longer  his  room  mate.  A  year  had  been  sufficient 
to  di&gust  his  "fast"  companion  with  the  hocely  f^ro 
22  * 


258  THY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE     ISIAL8 

and  homely  quarters  of  his  father's  house ;  and.  a* 
his  salary  was  now  eight  dollars  a  week,  he  vecupied 
a  room  in  the  attic  of  a  first  class  hotel. 

Harry  was  sixteen  years  old,  and  he  had  three  hun- 
dred dollars  in  the  Savings  Bank.  He  might  have 
Had  more,  if  he  had  not  so  carefully  watched  and 
guarded  against  the  sin  of  avarice.  He  gave  some 
very  handsome  sums  to  the  various  public  charities, 
as  well  as  expended  them  in  relieving  distress  wher- 
ever it  presented  itself.  It  is  true,  it  was  sometimes 
very  hard  work  to  give  of  his  earnings  to  relieve  the 
poor ;  and  if  he  had  acted  in  conformity  with  the 
nature  he  had  inherited,  he  might  never  have  known 
that  it  was  "  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 
As  he  grew  older,  and  the  worth  of  money  was  more 
apparent,  he  was  tempted  to  let  the  poor  and  the 
unfortunate  take  care  of  themselves  ;  but  the  struggle 
of  duty  with  parsimony  rendered  his  gifts  all  the  more 
v-orthy. 

Joe  Flint  had  several  times  violated  his  solemn 
resolution  to  drink  no  more  ardent  spirits  ;  but  Harry, 
who  was  his  friend  ai^d  confidant,  encouraged  !im, 
when  be  failed,  ';o  try  ?.gui> ;  s^d  It  vY:;:-  nev>  ne»rl| 
a  year  since  he  had  been  on  a  "  spiee."' 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  25i 

Our  hero  occasionally  heard  from  Rockville;  and  a 
few  months  before  the  event  we  are  about  to  nan  ate, 
ne  had  spent  the  pleasantcst  week  of  his  life  with 
Julia  Bryant,  amid  those  scenes  which  were  so  full 
of  interest  to  both  of  them.  As  he  walked  through 
the  woods  where  he  had  first  met  the  M  little  angel," 
—  she  had  now  grown  to  be  a  tall  girl,  —  he  could 
rot  but  recall  the  events  of  that  meeting.  It  was 
there  that  he  first  began  to  live,  in  the  true  sense  of 
the  word.  It  was  there  that  he  had  been  born  into  a 
new  sphere  of  moral  existence. 

Julia  was  still  his  friend,  still  his  guiding  star. 
Though  the  freedom  of  childish  intimacy  had  beer 
diminished,  the  same  heart  resided  in  each,  and  each 
felt  the  same  interest  in  the  other.  The  correspond- 
ence between  them  had  been  almost  wholly  suspend- 
ed, perhaps  by  the  interference  of  the  "  powers  "  at 
Rockville,  and  perhaps  by  the  growing  sense  of  the 
"  fitness  of  things  "  in  the  parties.  But  they  occa- 
Bionall)  met,  which  amply  compensated  for  the  depri* 
\ntions  which  propriety  demanded. 

But  I  must  pass  on  to  the  closing  event  of  nay 
»tory  —  it  was  Harry's  severest  trial,  yet  it  resulted 
in  bis  most  signd  triumph. 


260  TKY    AGAIN  ;     OB.    THE    TRIALS 

Edward  Flint  was  always  short  of  money.  He 
lived  extravagantly,  and  his  increased  salary  was  in- 
efficient to  meet  his  wants.  When  Harry  saw  him 
drive  a  fast  horse  through  the  streets  on  Sundays,  and 
hear"  him  say  how  often  he  went  to  the  theatre,  what 
balls  and  parties  he  attended,  —  when  he  observed 
how  elegantly  he  dressed,  and  that  he  wore  a  gold 
chain,  a  costly  breast  pin,  and  several  rings, —  he  did 
not  wonder  that  he  was  "  short."  He  lived  like  a 
prince,  and  it  seemed  as  though  eight  dollars  a  week 
would  be  but  a  drop  in  the  bucket  in  meeting  hia 
expenses. 

One  day,  in  his  extremity,  he  applied  to  Harry  for 
the  loan  of  five  dollars.  Our  hero  did  not  like  to 
encourage  his  extravagance  ;  but  he  was  good-natured, 
&nd  could  not  well  avoid  doing  the  favor,  especially 
as  Edward  wanted  the  money  to  pay  his  board.  How* 
ever,  he  made  it  the  occasion  for  a  friendly  remon- 
strance, and  gave  the  spendthrift  youth  some  excel- 
lent advice.  Edward  was  vexed  at  the  lecture ;  but, 
ts  he  obtained  the  loan,  he  did  not  resent  the 
kir.dly  act. 

Abo]it   a   fortnight   after,  Edward   paid   him    the 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAKBT    WEST.  20  J 

nuney.  It  consisted  of  a  two  dollar  bill  and  six 
half  dollars.  Harry  was  about  to  make  a  furthet 
application  of  bis  views  of  duty  to  his  friend's  case, 
when  Edward  impatiently  interrupted  him,  telling 
aim  that,  as  he  had  got  his  money,  he  need  not  preach. 
This  was  just  before  Harry  went  home  to  dinner. 

On  his  return,  Mr.  Wake  called  him  into  the  pri- 
vate office  ;  and  when  they  had  entered,  he  closed  and 
locked  the  door.  Harry  regarded  this  as  rather  a 
singular  proceeding  ;  but,  possessing  the  entire  confi- 
dence of  his  employers,  it  gave  him  no  uneasiness. 

"  Harry,"  Mr.  "Wake  began,  "  we  have  been  losing 
money  from  the  store  for  the  last  year,  or  more.  1 
have  missed  small  sums  a  great  many  times." 

"  Indeed  !  "  exclaimed  Harry,  not  knowing  wheth- 
er he  was  regarded  as  a  confidant,  or  as  the  suspected 
person. 

"  To-day  I  gave  a  friend  of  mine  several  marked 
coins,  with  which  he  purchased  some  goods.  These 
coins  have  all  been  stolen." 

"  Is  it  possible,  sir  !  " 

"  Now,  we  have  four  salesmen  besides  yourself 
Which  stole  it  >  " 


262  TRY    AGAIN  ;     OH,    THK    TR.AT,S 

"I  can  form  no  idea,  sir,"  returned  Hany  "] 
can  only  speak  for  myself." 

"  O,  weil,  I  had  no  suspicion  that  it  was  you,' 
fcdded  Mr.  Wake,  with  a  smile.  "  I  am  going  to  try 
the  same  experiment  again  ;  and  I  want  you  to  kecj 
four  eyes  on  the  money  drawer  all  the  rest  cf  the 
ifternoon." 

"  I  will  do  so,  sir." 

Mr.  Wake  took  several  silver  coins  from  his  pocket, 
md  scratched  them  in  such  a  way  that  they  could  be 
readily  identified,  and  then  dismissed  Harry,  with 
the  injunction  to  be  very  vigilant. 

When  he  came  out  of  the  office,  he  perceived  that 
Edward  and  Charles  Wallis  were  in  close  conversa- 
tion. 

"  I  say,  Harry,  what's  in  the  wind  ?  "  asked  the 
former,  as  our  hero  returned  to  his  position  behind 
the  counter. 

Harry  evaded  answering  the  question,  md  the  other 
two  salesmen,  who  were  very  intimate,  and  whose 
testes  and  amusements  were  very  much  alike,  con- 
tinued their  conversation.  They  were  evidently  aware 
b  t  something  unusual  had  oceir  red,  or  was  abouJ 
1     .c«*or. 


AND    TBItTMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  263 

Soon  after,  a  person  appeared  at  the  counter  and 
aurchased  a  dozen  spools  of  cotton,  offering  two  half 
dollars  in  payment.  Harry  kept  his  eye  upon  the 
money  drawer,  but  nothing  was  discovered,  l'rorn 
what  he  knew  of  Edward's  mode  of  life,  he  was  [re- 
pared  to  believe  that  he  was  the  guilty  person. 

The  experiment  was  tried  for  three  days  in  succes- 
tion  before  any  result  was  obtained.  The  coins  were 
always  found  in  the  drawer ;  but  on  the  fourth  day, 
when  they  were  very  busy,  and  there  was  a  great  deal 
of  money  in  the  drawer,  Harry  distinctly  observed 
Edward,  while  making  change,  take  several  coin3 
from  the  till.  The  act  appalled  him ;  he  forgot  the 
customer  to  whose  wants  he  was  attending,  and 
hastened  to  inform  Mr.  Wake  of  the  discovery. 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Harry  ?  "  asked  Edward, 
as  he  passed  him. 

"  Only  to  the  office,"  replied  he  ;  and  his  appear- 
ance and  manner  might  have  attracted  the  attention 
of  any  skilful  rogue. 

"  Come,  Harry,  don't  leave  your  place,"  addet 
Edward,  playfully  grasping  him  by  tho  collar,  on  his 
returi;, 


264  XKY    AGAIN  ;    OR,    THE    TKiALS 

"  Don't  stop  to  fool,  Edward,"  answered  Hairy,  ai 
be  shook  him  off,  and  took  his  place  at  the  countei 
agdin. 

He  wan  very  absent-minded  the  rest  of  the  fore- 
noon, and  his  frame  shook  with  agitation,  as  he  heard 
Mr.  "Wake  call  Edward,  shortly  after.  But  he  trem- 
bled still  more  when  he  was  summoned  also,  for  it 
was  very  unpleasant  business. 

"  Of  course,  you  will  not  object  to  letting  me  see 
the  contents  of  your  pockets,  Edward,"  said  Mr. 
Wake,  as  Harry  entered  the  office. 

"  Certainly  not,  sir  ;  "  and  he  turned  every  one  of 
his  pockets  inside  out. 

Not  one  of  the  decoy  pieces  was  found  upon  him, 
or  any  other  coins,  for  that  matter ;  he  had  no  money. 
Mr.  Wake  was  confused,  for  he  fully  expected  to  con- 
\ict  the  culprit  on  the  spot. 

'■  1  suppose  I  am  indebted  to  this  young  man  foi 
tt  is,"  continued  Edward,  with  a  sneer.  "  I'd  bet  five 
d<  llais  he  stole  the  money  himself,  if  any  has  l>een 
stolen.     Why  don't  you  search  him  ?  " 

"  Search  me,  sir,  by  all  means,"  added  Harry  ;  and 
he  began  to  turn  his  pockets  out. 


AST)    TKITJMPHS    OF    HA.RBY    "WEST.  261 

From  his  vest  pocket  he  took  out  a  little  parcel 
wrapped  in  a  shop  bill. 

"  What's  that  ?  "   said  Edward. 

'*  I  don't  know.  I  wasn't  aware  that  there  was 
any  such  thing  in  my  pocket." 

"  I  suppose  not,"  sneered  Edward. 

"  But  you  seem  to  know  more  about  it  than  he 
Edward,"  remarked  Mr.  Wake,  as  he  took  the  parcel. 

"  I  know  nothing  about  it." 

The  senior  opened  the  wrapper,  and  to  his  surprise 
and  sorrow,  found  it  contained  two  of  the  marked 
coins.  But  he  w&3  not  disposed  hastily  to  condemn 
Harry.  He  >:ouI-l  aot  Relieve  him  capable  of  steal- 
ing;  besides,  tbeie  wa3  something  in  Edward's  man- 
ner which  seemed  to  indicate  that  our  hero  was  the 
victim  of  a  conspiracy. 

"  As  he  has  been  so  very  generous  towards  me, 
Mr.  Wake,"  interposed  Edward,  "  I  will  suggest  a 
moans  by  which  you  may  satisfy  yourself.  My  moth- 
er keeps  Harry's  money  for  him ;  and  perhaps,  if  you 
look  it  over,  you  will  find  some  more  marked  pieces." 

"Mr.  Wake,  I'm  innocent,"  protested  Harry,  when 
he  had  in  some  measure  nwnvered  from  the  first  shock 


266  TKY    AGAIN  ;     0T.C,    THE    TRIALS 

of  tfce  heavy  blow.  "  I  tevei  stole  a  cent  from  any 
body." 

"  I  don't  believe  you  ever  did,  Harry.  But  can 
you  explain  how  this  money  happened  to  be  in  jcui 
pocket  ?  " 

"  I  cannot,  sir.  If  you  wish  to  look  at  my  money, 
Mrj.  Flint  will  show  it  to  you." 

"  Perhaps  I  had  better." 

••  Don't  let  him  go  with  you,  though,"  said  Ed- 
ward, maliciously. 

Mr.  Wake  wrote  an  order  to  Mrs.  Flint,  requesting 
her  to  exhibit  the  money,  and  Harry  signed  it.  The 
senior  then  hastened  to  Avery  Street. 

"  Now,  Master  Spy  ! "  sneered  Edward,  when  he 
had  gone.  "  So  you  have  been  watching  me.  I 
thought  as  much." 

"  I  only  did  what  Mr.  Wake  told  me  to  do,"  re- 
plied Harry,  exceedingly  mortified  at  the  turn  the 
investigation  had  taken. 

"  Humph!  That  is  the  way  with  you  psalm-sing- 
ers.     Steal  yourself,  and  lay  it  to  me  !  " 

"  I  did  not  steal.     I  never  s*ole  in  my  life.  ' 

"  Wait  and  see. ' 


AND    1  SIUMPHS    OF    HAEEY    WEST.  267 

In  about  half  an  hour  Mr.  Wake  returned. 

*'  I  am  sorry,  Harry,  to  find  that  I  have  been  mis- 
taken in  you.  Is  it  possible  that  one  who  is  out- 
wardly so  correct  in  his  habits  should  be  a  thief  ? 
Put  your  career  is  finished,"  said  he,  very  sternly,  aa 
be  enteied  the  office. 

"  Nothing  strange  to  the  rest  of  us,"  added  Ed- 
ward. "  I  never  knew  one  yet  who  pretended  to  be 
so  pious,  that  did  not  turn  out  a  rascal." 

"  And  such  a  hypocrite  !  " 

"  Mr.  Wake,  I  am  neither  a  thief  nor  a  hypocrite," 
replied  Harry,  with  spirit. 

"  I  found  four  of  the  coins,  —  four  half  dollars.  — 
which  I  marked  first,  at  Mrs.  Flint's,"  said  the  senior, 
severely. 

Harry  was  astounded.  Those  half  dollars  were 
part  of  the  money  paid  him  by  Edward,  and  he  so 
explained  how  they  came  in  his  possession. 

"Got  them  from  me!"  exclaimed  Edward,  with 
well-feigned  surprise.  "  I  never  borrowed  a  cent  of 
aim  in  my  life  ;  and,  of  course,  never  pa'd  him  a 
acnt." 

Hairv  looked  at  Edward,  amazed  at  the  ccol"  ess 


268  TRY    AGAIN  J     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

with  whirm  he  uttered  the  monstrous  lie.  He  q  jes- 
tioned  him  in  regard  to  the  transaction,  but  the  young 
reprobate  reiterated  his  declaration  with  so  much 
force  and  art,  that  Mr.  Wake  was  effectually  de» 
ceived. 

Our  hero,  conscious  of  his  innocence,  howevci 
strong  appearances  were  against  him,  behaved  with 
considerate  spirit,  which  so  irritated  Mr.  Wake  that 
he  sent  for  a  constable,  and  Harry  soon  found  himself 
in  Leverett  Street  Jail.  Strange  as  it  may  seem  to 
my  young  friends,  he  was  not  very  miserable  there. 
He  was  innocent,  and  he  depended  upon  that  special 
Providence  which  had  before  befriended  him,  to  ex- 
tricate him  from  the  difficulty.  It  is  true,  he  won- 
dered what  Julia  would  say  when  she  heard  of  his 
misfortune.  She  would  weep  and  grieve  ;  and  he 
was  sad  when  he  thought  of  her.  But  she  would  be 
the  more  rejoiced,  when  she  learned  that  he  was  in- 
nocent. The  triumph  would  be  in  proportion  to  the 
dial. 

On  the  following  day  he  was  brought  up  for  exam- 
ination. As  his  name  was  called,  the  propriety  of 
the  court  was  suddenly  disturbed  by  an  exclamation 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAKRY    WEST.  jJS9 

of  surprise  from  an  elderly  man,  with  a  sun-browned 
face  and  monstrous  whiskers. 

"  Who  is  he  ?  '  almost  shouted  the  elderly  man, 
regardless  of  the  dignity  of  the  court. 

An  officer  was  on  the  point  of  turning  him  out  :  but 
his  earnest  manner  saved  him.  Pushing  bis  way  for- 
ward to  Mr.  Wake,  he  questioned  him  in  regard  to 
the  youthful  prisoner. 

"  Strange  !  I  thought  he  was  dead  !  "  muttered 
<he  elderly  man,  in  the  most  intense  excitement. 

The  examination  proceeded.  Harry  had  a  friend 
who  had  not  been  idle,  as  the  sequel  will  show. 

Mr.  Wake  first  testified  to  the  facts  we  have  already 
related ;  and  the  lawyer,  whom  Harry's  friends  had 
provided,  questioned  him  in  regard  to  the  prisoner's 
character  and  antecedents.  Edward  Flint  was  then 
called.  He  was  subjected  to  a  severe  cross  examina- 
tion by  Harry's  counsel,  in  which  he  repeatedly  de« 
nied  that  he  had  ever  borrowed  or  paid  any  money  to 
the  accused. 

Mr.  Wade  was  the  next  witness.  While  the  events 
preceding  Harry's  arrest  were  transpiring,  he  had 
beta  absent  from  the  city,  but  had  returned  early  la 
23* 


270  try  again;  or,  the  trials 

the  afternoon.  He  disagreed  with  his  partner  in 
relation  to  our  hero's  guilt,  and  immediately  set 
himse.if  to  work  to  unmask  the  conspiracy,  for  such 
he  was  persuaded  it  was. 

He  testified  that,  a  short  time  before,  Edward  had 
requested  him  to  pay  him  his  salary  two  days  before 
it  was  due,  assigning  as  a  reason  the  fact  that  he 
owed  Harry  Jive  dollars  which  he  wished  to  pay. 
He  produced  two  of  the  marked  half  dollars,  which 
he  had  received  from  Edward's  landlady. 

Of  course,  Edward  was  utterly  confounded ;  and 
to  add  to  his  confusion,  he  was  immediately  called  to 
the  stand  again.  This  time  his  coolness  was  gone ; 
he  crossed  himself  a  dozen  times,  and  finally  ac- 
knowledged, under  the  pressure  of  the  skilful  law- 
yer's close  questioning,  that  Harry  was  innocent. 
He  had  paid  him  the  money  found  in  Mrs.  Flint's 
possession,  and  had  slipped  the  coins  wrapped  in  the 
shop  bills  into  his  pocket,  when  he  took  him  by  the 
crllar  on  his  return  from  the  office. 

He  had  known  for  some  time  that  the  partners 
were  on  the  watch  for  the  thief.  He  had  heard  them 
talking  about  the  matter  ;  but  he  supposed  be  had 


AND    TBIUMPH8    OF    HARRY    WEST,  271 

managed  the  case  so  well  as  to  exonerate  himself 
and  implicate  Harry,  whom  he  hated  foi  being  t 
good  boy. 

Harry  was  discharged.  His  heart  swelled  with 
gratitude  for  the  kindly  interposition  of  Providence. 
The  trial  was  past  —  the  triumph  bad  come. 

Mr.  Wake,  Mr.  Wade,  and  other  friends,  congrat- 
ulated him  on  the  happy  termination  of  the  affair ; 
and  while  they  were  so  engaged  the  elderly  man 
elbowed  his  way  through  the  crowd  to  the  plaee 
where  Harry  stood. 

"Young  man,  what  is  your  father's  'lame?"  ne 
asked,  in  tones  tremulous  with  emotion. 

"I  have  no  father,"  replied  Harry. 

"  You  kad  a  father  —  what  was  his  n?me  r  " 

"  Franklin  West ;  a  carpenter  by  trads.  He  went 
from  Redfield  to  Valparaiso  when  I  was  very  young, 
and  we  never  heard  any  thing  from  him. 

"  My  son  !  "  exclaimed  the  stranger,  graspirg  om 
hero  by  the  hand,  while  the  tears  rolled  do^n  nil 
brown  visage. 

Harry  did  n  t  know  what  to  make  of  this  an- 
lounceruent. 


272  TRT    AGAIN  ;     OR.    THE    TRIALS 

*'  Is  it  possible  that  you  are  my  father  ?  "  asked  ha 

"  I  am,  Harry ;  but  I  was  sure  you  were  dead.  ] 
got  a  letter,  informing  me  that  your  mother  and  the 
baby  had  gone ;  and  about  a  year  after,  I  met  a  mar 
from  Rockville,  who  told  me  you  had  died  also." 

•'  It  was  a  mistake." 

They  continued  the  conversation  as  they  walked  from 
ne  court  room  to  the  store.  There  was  a  long  story 
for  each  to  tell.  Mr.  West  confessed  that,  for  two  years 
after  his  arrival  at  Valparaiso,  he  had  accomplished 
rery  little.  He  drank  hard,  and  brought  on  a  fever, 
which  had  nearly  carried  him  off.  But  that  fever  waft 
a  blessing  in  disguise  ;  and  since  his  recovery  he  had 
been  entirely  temperate.  He  had  nothing  to  send  tc 
his  family,  and  shame  prevented  him  from  even  writ- 
ing to  his  wife.  He  received  the  letter  which  con- 
veyed the  intelligence  of  the  death  of  his  wife  and 
child,  and  soon  after  learned  that  his  remaining  little 
one  was  also  gone. 

Carpenters  were  then  in  great  demand  in  Valpa- 
raiso. He  was  soon  in  a  condition  to  take  contracts, 
and  fortune  smilod  upon  him.  He  had  rendered  him- 
«ielf  independent,  and  had  now  returned  to  spend  bis 


AND   TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  273 

remaining  days  in  his  native  land.  He  had  been  in 
Boston  a  week,  and  happened  to  stray  into  the  Police 
Court,  where  he  had  found  the  son  who,  he  supposed, 
had  long  ago  been  laid  in  the  grave. 

Edward  Flint  finished  his  career  of  "  fashionable 
dissipation"  by  being  sentenced  to  the  house  of  cor- 
rection. Just  before  he  was  sent  over,  he  confessed 
to  Mr.  "Wade  that  it  was  he  who  bz?  r-tolen  Harry's 
money,  three  years  before. 

The  next  day  Harry  obtained  leave  oi  absence,  for 
the  purpose  of  accompanying  his  father  en  ^  visit  to 
Redfield.  He  was  in  exuberant  spirits.  It  seemed 
as  though  his  cup  of  joy  was  full.  He  could  hardly 
realize  that  he  had  a  father  —  a  kind,  affectionate 
father  —  who  shared  the  joy  of  his  heart. 

They  went  to  Redfield;  but  I  cannot  stop  to  tel. 
my  readers  how  astonished  Squire  Walker,  and  Mr. 
Nason,  and  the  paupers  were,  to  see  the  spruce  youn^i 
clerk  come  to  his  early  home,  attendee1  by  his  falhs' 
—  a  rich  father,  too. 

We  can  follow  our  hero  no  farther  through  tht 
highways  and  byways  of  his  life-pilgrimnge.  W« 
have  seen  him  struggle  like  a  hero  through  trH.  inm* 


274  TRY  again;    or,  the  trials 

temptation,  and  come  off  conqueror  in  the  end.  He 
has  found  a  rich  father,  who  crowns  his  lot  with  p'  en 
ty  ;  hut  his  true  wealth  is  in  those  good  prii»cir  es 
which  the  trials,  no  less  than  the  triumphs,  o  hii 
career  have  planned  in  his  soul. 


JtHD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HAEBY    WEST  27J 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

IB   WHICH    HAKKT    IS  VERY  PLEASANTLY    SITUATED, 
AND    THE    STOEY    COMES    TO    AN    END. 

Perhaps  my  young  readers  will  desire  to  know 
something  of  Harry's  subsequent  life ;  and  we  will 
"  drop  in "  upon  him  at  his  pleasant  residence  in 
Rockville,  without  the  formality  of  an  introduction. 
Ten  years  have  elapsed  since  we  parted  with  him, 
after  his  triumphant  discharge  from  arrest.  His 
father  did  not  live  long  after  his  return  to  his  native 
land  ;  and  when  he  was  twenty-one,  Harry  came  into 
possession  of  a  handsome  fortune.  But  even  wealth 
could  not  tempt  him  to  choose  a  life  of  idleness  ; 
and  he  went  into  partnership  with  Mr.  Wade,  the 
senior  retiring  at  the  same  time.  The  firm  of  Wade 
and  West  is  quite  as  respectable  as  any  in  the  city. 

Harry  is  not  a  slave  to  business ;  and  he  spendi 
A  portion  of  his  time  at  his  beautiful  plac*  in  Rock 


£76  THY    AGAIN  ;     OR,    THE    TRIALS 

ville ;  for  the  cars  pass  through  the  village,  woich  it 
only  a  ride  of  an  hour  and  a  half  from  the  city. 

Mr.  West's  house  is  situated  on  a  gentle  emi- 
nence not  far  distant  from  the  turnpike  road.  It  is 
built  upon  the  very  spot  where  the  cabin  of  the 
charcoal  burners  stood,  in  which  Harry,  the  fugitive, 
passed  two  nights  The  aspect  of  the  place  is  en- 
tirely changed,  though  the  very  rock  upon  which  our 
hero  ate  the  sumptuous  repast  the  little  angel  brought 
him  may  be  seen  in  the  centre  of  the  beautiful  gar- 
den, by  the  side  of  the  house.  Mr.  West  often  seats 
himself  there  to  think  of  the  events  of  the  past,  and 
to  treasure  up  the  pleasant  memories  connected  with 
the  vicinity. 

The  house  is  elegant  and  spacious,  though  there 
is  nothing  gaudy  or  gay  about  it.  Let  us  walk  in 
It  is  plainly  furnished,  though  the  articles  are  ricr 
and  tasteful.  This  is  the  sitting  room.  Who  is  that 
beautiful  lady  sitting  at  the  piano-forle  ?  Do  you 
not  recognize  her,  gentle  reader  ?  Of  course  you  do. 
[t  is  Mrs.  West,  and  an  old  acquaintance.  She  is 
no  longer  the  little  angel,  though  I  cannot  tell  her 
height  or  her  weignt;    but  her  husband  thinks  she 


AHD    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  277 

U  just  as  much  an  angel  now  as  when  she  fed  him 
on  doughnuts  upon  the  flat  rock  in  the  garden. 

Ah,  here  comes  Harry  !  He  is  a  fine-looking  man, 
rather  tall ;  and  though  he  does  not  wear  a  mustache, 
I  have  no  doubt  Mrs.  West  thinks  he  is  handsome  — 
which  is  all  very  well,  provided  he  does  not  think 
so  himself. 

"  This  is  a  capital  day,  Julia ;  suppose  we  ride 
over  to  Redfield,  and  see  friend  Nason,"  said  Mr. 
West. 

"  I  shall  be  delighted,"  replied  Julia. 

The  horse  is  ordered ;  and  as  they  ride  along,  the 
gentleman  amuses  his  wife  with  the  oft-repeated  story 
of  his  flight  from  Jacob  Wire's. 

"Do  you  see   that  high  rock,  Julia?"  he  asked, 
pointing  over  the  fence. 
'  Yes." 

"  That  is  the  very  one  where  I  dodged  Leman,  a*  d 
took  the  back  track;  and  there  is  where  I  knocked 
the  bull-dog  over." 

They  arrive  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Nason.     It  is  a 
pleasant  little   cottage,  for  he    is   no  longer  in    the 
servict  of  the  town.     It  was  built  by  Mr.  W«3t  ex 
24 


t76  tby  again;   or,  the  ieials 

pressly  for  him.  Connected  with  it  is  a  fine  farm  cf 
twenty  acres.  This  little  property  was  sold  tc  Mr 
Nason  by  his  protege,  though  no  money  was  paid. 
Harry  would  have  made  it  a  free  gift,  if  the  pride  of 
ais  friend  would  have  permitted ;  but  it  amounts  to 
the  same  thing. 

Mr.  West  and  his  lady  are  warmly  welcomed  by 
Mr.  Nason  and  his  family.  The  ex-keeper  is  an  old 
man  now.  He  is  a  member  of  the  church,  and  con- 
sidered an  excellent  and  useful  citizen.  He  still 
calls  Mr.  West  his  "  boy,"  and  regards  him  with 
mingled  pride  and  admiration. 

Our  friends  dine  at  the  cottage ;  and,  after  dinner, 
Mr.  Nason  and  Mr.  West  talk  over  old  times,  ride 
down  to  Pine  Pleasant,  and  visit  the  poorhouse. 
Great  changes  have  come  over  Redfield.  Squire 
Walker,  Jacob  Wire,  and  most  of  the  paupers  who 
were  the  companions  of  our  hero,  are  dead  and 
gone,  and  the  living  speak  gently  of  the  de- 
parted. 

At  Pine  Pleasant,  they  fasten  the  horse  to  a  tree, 
and  cross  over  to  the  rock  which  was  Harry's  favorite 
jesort  in  childhoed 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HARRY    WEST.  273 

1  5y  the  way,  Harry,  have  ~ou  heard  any  thing 
of  L  m  Smart  lately  ?  "  asks-  Mr.  Xason. 

"  After  his  discharge  from  the  state  prison,  I  heard 
that  he  went  to  sea." 

"  Re  was  a  bad  boy." 

"  And  a  bad  man." 

"  I  believe  he  killed  his  mother.  They  say  she 
aever  smiled  after  she  gave  him  up  as  a  hopeless 
rase." 

"  Poor  woman  !  I  pity  a  mother  whose  son  turnd 
out  badly.     What  a  wreck  of  fond  hopes  '  " 

"  Jusf  so,"  added  Mr.  Xason. 

After  visiting  various  interesting  localities,  Mr. 
West  anu  his  lady  return  home.  In  their  absence,  a 
letter  for  Julia  from  Katy  Flint  has  arrived.  The 
Flint  family  are  now  in  good  circumstances.  Joe  is 
a  steady  man,  and,  with  Harry's  assistance,  has  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  stable  formerly  kept  by 
Major  Phillips,  who  has  retired  on  a  competency. 

"  What  does  she  say,  Julia  ?  "  asked  Harry,  as  she 
broke  the  seal. 

"  They  have  heard  from  Edward." 

**  Bad  news,  I  am  afraid.     He  was  a  hard  boy.n 


290  TRY    AGAIH  ;    OB,    TB  E    TRIALS 

•*  Yes  ;  he  has  just  been  sent  to  the  Maryland 
penitentiary  for  house  breaking." 

"  I  a:n  sorry  for  him." 

"  Katy  says  her  mother  feels  very  badly  about  it." 

"  No  doubt  of  it.  Mrs.  Flint  is  an  excellen 
woman ;  she  was  a  mother  to  me." 

"  She  says  they  are  coming  up  to  Rockville  next 
week." 

"  Glad  of  that ;  they  will  always  be  welcome  be- 
neath my  roof.  I  must  call  upon  them  to-morrow 
when  I  go  to  the  city." 

"  Do ;  and  give  my  love  to  them." 

And,  here,  reader,  I  must  leave  ihern  —  not  with- 
out 1  egret,  I  confess,  for  it  is  always  sad  to  part  with 
waim  and  true-hearted  friends;  but  if  one  must 
leave  them,  it  is  pleasant  to  know  that  they  are 
happy,  and  are  surrounded  by  all  the  blessings  which 
make  life  desirable,  and  filled  with  that  bright  hope 
which  reaches  beyond  the  perishable  things  of  this 
world.  It  is  cheering  to  know  that  one's  friends, 
aftei  they  have  fought  a  hard  battle  with  foes  without 
and  foes  within,  have  won  the  victory,  and  are  ro« 
eeiving  their  reward. 


AND    TRIUMPHS    OF    HiEKY    WEST.  281 

If  my  young  friends  think  well  of  Harry,  lot  me 
admonish  them  to  imitate  his  virtues,  especially  hii 
perseverance  in  trying  to  do  well ;  and  when  they 
fail  to  he  as  good  and  true  as  they  wish  to  he,  to 

1ST    A.GA.IX 

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Or,  Adventures  of  an  Army  Officer. 

4.  THE  YANKEE  MIDDY; 

Or,  Adventures  of  a  Narv  0'f?"(>r. 

o    rsvxii  i  tv*<*  Jo ti , 

Or,  The   Fortunes  of  a  Sia.T  Officer, 

6.  BRAVE  OLD   SALT; 

Or,  Life  on  the  QiiHrter-Deck. 


T "lis  series  of  six  volumes  recounts  the  adventures  of  fvo 
brothers,  Tom  and  Jack  Somers,  one  in  the  array,  the  other  in 
the  navy,  in  the  great  civil  war.  The  romantic  narratives  of 
the  fortunes  and  exploits  of  the  brothers  are  thrilling  in  the 
extreme.  Historical  accuracy  in  the  recital  of  the  greit 
events  of  that  period  is  strictly  followed,  and  the  result  is 
not  OL,y  a  library  of  entertaining  volumes,  but  also  the  best 
history    rt  the  civil  war  for  young  people  ever  written. 


OLIVER   OPTIC'S  BOOKS. 

THE   STARRY  FLAG   SERIES. 

Six  volumes.    Illustrated.    Per  vol.    $1  33. 


1.  THE  STARRY  FLAG; 

Or,  The  Young  Fisherman  of  Cape  Aaa. 

2.  BREAKING  AWAY; 

Or,  The  Fortunes  of  a  Student. 

5.  SEEK  AND  FIND; 

Or,  The  Adventures  of  a  Smart  Bow 

*.  FREAKS  OF  FORTUNE; 

Or.  Half  Round  the  World, 

6.  MAKE  OR  BREAK; 

Or,  The  Rich  Man's  Daughter 

6.  DOWN  THE  RIVER ; 

Or,  Buck  Bradford  and  the  Tyrants* 


Mr.  Adams,  the  celebrated  and  popular  writer,  familiarly 
known  as  "  Oliver  Optic,"  seems  to  have  inexhaustible  for.O£ 
for  weaving  together  the  virtues  of  life;  and  notwithstanding 
he  has  written  scores  of  books,  the  same  freshness  anJ  nov- 
elty rurnj  through  them  all.  Some  people  think  the  xuss*- 
tional  element  predominates.  Perhaps  it  does.  But  &  0006 
for  young  people  needs  this  :  and  so  long  as  good  sentiments 
are  inculca  ,ed  such  books  ought  to  be  read. 


OLIVER   OPTIC'S   BOOKS. 


FAMOUS  "BOAT-CLUB"  SEEIES. 

labrary  f or  Voiuig  People.    Six  volumes,  handsomely  illustrated 
Per  volume,  §1.^5. 


1-  THE  BOAT  CLUB; 

Or,  The  Bonkers  of  Rippleton. 

2.  ALL  ABOARD; 

Or,  Life  on  the  Lake. 

3.  NOW  OR  NEVER; 

Or,  The  Adventures  of  Bobby  Brighfc 

4.  TRY  AGAIN  ; 

Or,  The  Trials  and  Trinmphs  of  Barry  V»o«t 

5.  POOR  AND  PROUD; 

Or,  The  Fortunes  ot  K.aty  Ucdborn. 

6.  LITTLE  BY  LITTLE; 

Or,  The  Cruise  of  the  Flyaway. 


This  is  the  first  series  of  books  written  for  the  young  l-v 
•  Oliver  Optic."  It  laid  the  foundation  for  his  fame  as  the 
first  of  authors  in  which  the  young  delight,  and  gained  for 
him  the  title  of  the  Prince  of  Story-Tellers.  The  six  bocks 
are  varied  in  incident  and  plot,  but  all  are  entertaining  and 
original. 


OLIVER    OPT rC'S  BOOKS. 


YACHT  CLUB  SERIES. 

Uuilor  a  wh,!i  the  ever  popular  '■  Boat  Club,''  Series.     Completed 
i»4  six  vols,     lijijjo.     II  !u.,tr;i.ied.     Per  vol.,  $1.5(1 


2.  UTILE  BOBTAIL; 

Or,  The  Wreck  of  the  Penobscot 

2.    THE  YACHT  CLUB; 

Or,  The  Young  Boat-Builders. 

8    MONEY-MAKER; 

Or,  The  Victory  of  the  Basilisk. 

4    THE  COMING  WAVE; 

Or,  The  Treasure  of  High  Rock. 

6.  THE  DORCAS  CLUB; 

Or,  Our  (iirls  Afloat. 

6.  OCEAN  BORN; 

Or,  The  Cruise  of  the  Clubs. 


The  series  has  this  peculiarity,  that  all  of  its  constituent 
volumes  are  independent  of  one  another,  and  therefore  each 
Bfory  is  complete  in  itself.  "Oliver  Optic"  is  perhaps  the 
favorite  author  of  the  boys  and  girls  of  this  country,  and  he 
seems  destined  to  enjoy  an  endless  popularity.  He  deserves 
his  success,  for  he  makes  very  interesting  stories,  and  incul- 
cates none  but  the  best  sentiments;  and  the  "Yacht  Club" 
us  no  exception  to  this  rule.  —  New  Haven  Jour,  and  Cownei. 


